The Wood's Daughter
by Tankafirebird
Summary: This is the story of a girl who grows up expecting one thing, and getting another. She loses one life only to find another, and finding friends along the way, and fighting a terrible enemy that threatens Valdemar.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Valdemar or any aspect there of, as it belongs to Misty Lackey. I own the characters you don't recognize. I didn't make any money.

Author's Note: I am still figuring out the formatting and will be coming back to edit this as my previous formatting got jacked in the transfer. *grumble* Also this bit is a tad wordy as it was a former NaNoWriMo piece and I cut it down, but still needs work. I may upload another version with more edits at a later time. For the time being enjoy.

R/R, No Flames. Flamers will be well toasted on a spit and served to my pet dragon...got it. Good.

Kishi looked down on the valley below her with an appraising eye. The sun was starting to set and the cows were grazing in the pasture. She picked up her stick and let fly a whistle. Her pony Jessi came cantering towards her from the left side of the pasture. She smiled as the scruffy pony that came when she called. She held up his bridle and he lowered his head to accept the bit. She climbed on him bare back and set off across the field at his rough, bouncy trot. She and Jessi herded the cows together and began slowly heading them back to the homestead. They only had 7 cows, so they had to be careful not to lose any one of them. These cows provided milk, meat, and money for her family. Her father spent most of his days in the fields, and Kishi spent her days caring for the animals of the farm since she was the oldest child. Her younger brother Zack cared for the sheep, and her youngest brother Mica cared for the chickens and collected their eggs under their mother's watchful eye. Kishi was 15 now, and in a couple more years she would be married and have to start a farm and household of her own. She wanted to wait a little longer though for her father's sake. She knew that he needed help on the farm. As the sun sat and dipped beyond the horizon Kishi, Jessi, and the cows arrived back to the farmstead. The cows happily walked back into their coral with no fuss, knowing that food, hay, and water would now be provided to them, as they were milked by Kishi, her brother Zack, and her mom. Kishi lit lanterns in the barn, and threw open the double doors leading to the outside. Her brother Zack had already dumped the corn into the through and all of the water pails were full. The manger was laden with hay. The cows came meandering easily into the barn one at a time. There was never any pushing or shoving, no shows of dominance. They all knew that they would have plenty of food, and plenty of time to eat while each was milked. Other farmers in the area always marveled at how well behaved Kishi's cows were. None ever kicked, and none had any bad habits at all. It was as if they had been trained, or even some whispered, a spell that helped them to behave in such a manner.

Kishi pulled out her short stool and hummed quietly as she sat down next to the first cow. Zack jumped down out of the hay loft with a heavy thud in between the stalls. He swaggered over to his stool scooped it up a fluid movement. He wandered over to the second cow in the line to milk. He looked over to his sister who was lost in thought and song, humming for those around her. She did not sing often, even though her voice was not horrid, it was not bird like in any manner. He grinned, "So, how was the day in the field, make any new friends?" he questioned sarcastically. Kishi looked up coolly, "more so than you. How was mucking the barn?" Zack frowned at this and turned back to his cow scowling. This sort of labor had fallen to him, since Kishi was in charge of caring for the animals in the field during the day. Normally her father and oldest brother Nathan would have done this work, but Nathan had been buried last spring during the first raids of the year. Her father was still not over losing his oldest boy. Kishi though she was not a boy, had already been told she would inherit a few animals from her father and mother. The raids had been bad the past few years, and Cordor had been all but wiped off the map due to the Tedral Wars and subsequent raids on the land. The Tedral Army had burnt all their fields and the winters after had been difficult, and none would have survived except for Queen Selenay sending food, people, and help from other cities.

There had been rumors of late of new raiders moving into the region and taking people to sell across the border. Luckily a Herald had been in the area as of late and so the raiders had chosen to avoid Cordor and other neighboring farmsteads. Though the Herald and his mystical Companion would have to move on, they had made it clear that they were investigating these rumors for the crown. Any slave trade coming in or out of Valdemar was a black mark on the kingdom, sanctioned or not. The Queen was worried about this region due to its weakness since the Tedral Wars. The towns and farmsteads were just beginning to recover from the charred fields, burnt out buildings, and the extensive loss of life in the area. Many people who had left due to the raids and wars were hesitant to move back to the area because of the closeness to the Karsite Border. It was a dangerous area. However, the Queen the past two years had been reinforcing the border and regularly changing out the guards protecting the borders, and Heralds came more frequently to the village and neighboring areas. Kishi had not had the opportunity to see a Companion or Herald up close since she was twelve years old. Their farmstead had been visited by a Herald and his Companion. He had come to warn them to leave the area due to the upcoming battle. Kishi's father had stubbornly refused to do so, but he did send his wife and children to a safe camp set further back into the country. Kishi remember crying as she left. She, her brother Zack, mother, and her youngest brother Mica who was no more than a tot had been allowed only to take what they could carry. She was leaving behind her beloved animals, and her father and oldest brother to protect the farm. They returned one month after the final battle on the border. Their house had been burnt to the ground, they had lost all but one cow and two sheep. Her father and brother were both living in the forest near their farm hiding from the Tedrel Army. They had found the cow and two sheep in the woods grazing together. The three had stayed together, making an unusual herd. It had taken a while to rebuild the barns, fences, and house that her family had lost, but with the luck of two good harvests behind them they had managed. They had been lucky in the fact that they had managed to keep those two sheep and one cow, and that helped them to provide for the winter through trading with others, and with what the Queen had sent to the region for aid.

The main barn door opened, and Kishi's mother walked in with a small shadow trailing after her. Kishi's youngest sibling trotted behind her mom and struggled carrying the milking pail, but fussed when his mother tried to help him with it. Mica was trying to show that he was a big boy at five years now. Kishi's mother smiled down at the young one and shook her head. Stubborn child, inherited his temperament from her devoted husband. She tucked her auburn hair behind her ears, and picked up her stool and headed to the third cow in the line. Mica wanting to help set the pail under the cow while standing directly beneath the cow, his mother cautioned, "be careful my child, she may not mean to, but Sissy may accidently step on you. Please move hon."

"Nuh-uh! She loves me! She won't hurt me mama," the small child admonished in a serious tone. He turned and hugged the cows forelegs as if to prove his point, the cow lowed a complaint, and turned her head and gently butted the child onto his behind next to her. Zack laughed at his younger brother's surprised face and laughed harder when he stood to see the young boy had sat in a fresh cow pie. Tears started to stream down the child's face and he shouted at his older brother's vicious laughter "It's NOT funny!" Kishi shook her head, "Mica, you should know by now that Sissy does not like that she has told you that plenty of times with how she looks at you. You need to learn to listen to what she tells you."

"Cows don't talk" Zack smarted.

"They do with their bodies, dumbie."

"No they don't," Zack argued with his sister.

"Cows, horses, and sheep and all animals do, you just have to pay attention," Kishi said in a sagely manner. Her brother glowered at her and shouted "You don't know anything! No they don't!"

"Enough now, children," their mother said, "You will spook the animals and upset them."

The barn door opened again, and the father walked through carrying the hoe and a basket on his back and bag over his shoulder. He pulled out his water flask and tilted his head back and took a long draw from the water. His face was smudged with dirt, and his shirt sleeves were rolled back up above his elbows. Dirt covered him from head to toe. At his son's shout, he turned to his children, "Really now? What is this arguing?"

"Kishi says animals talk! They do not!"

"They do too, just not like humans, they talk with their bodies. Right, da?"

Their father smiled and looked upon his children. "Kishi you are right they communicate, I wouldn't say talk though because they do not talk. They show how they feel though and what they think, aye. You are both right and both are wrong. Now stop fighting or else those cows shall produce sour milk and then where will be?" He walked over to his wife was pulling gently on each teat of the third cow coaxing sweet milk from her. He smiled and bent down to kiss her on her head. He reached down and ruffled Mica's hair fondly. He turned and headed out of the barn and towards the house to wash up as per his usual schedule. Their mother finished the third cow and moved on to the fourth cow. About that time Kishi finished the first cow and moved to the fifth cow. They would milk for about an hour a piece. Then their mother would go in and put dishes on the table, and all would come in, wash, and eat. Then in the evening Kishi and her mother would mend clothing, tack, and do other bits of cleaning while her father would whittle, or play a song or two on his flute he had carved himself. The others would sit around the fire and rest after a long day. Mica would go to bed early as he wasted his energy attempting to help and running around the farm all day. The rest would sleep shortly after sunset as they had to rise before the sun to care for animals and land.

The next day Kishi woke earlier than everyone in the household. She rose a candlemark before sunrise, instead of going back to sleep, she lit a lantern, got dressed and started to perform her chores. This day her father and her would head to town to do some trading in the village of Cordor, as it was trading day. Most of the people who would be there would be locals, but they would take their extra milk, the wool they had cut from their lambs for the summer, and they would bring home with them cloth for her and her mother to sew into clothing for everyone. They would also get a few small gifts for each one in the family. Kishi was excited as this was the one day every two weeks she got to go to town. On the opposite weeks her brother Zack would go to town. But during this trip she was hoping to work up enough courage to talk to the blacksmith's son, Jarod. He had the blondest hair that gleamed like rays of sunlight. As soon as she had finished her chores she began to get dressed in some of her nicer clothing, a long blue skirt that had at one time been her mother's, but had long since been cut and remade to fit her. She donned a sweet looking and clean white blouse. She braided her hair back from her face. She looked into the looking glass down stairs that everyone shared. She looked well. Under her skirt she donned a pair of breeches, just in case she had the chance to ride. Her brother Zack was up and came down the stairs and noticed his sister standing looking into the looking glass. "Wha' ya think to make yerself not sooo…hideous that Jarod migh' look to you?" He said yawning. Kishi glared at her brother, "Shuddup, you." As he got closer, "Ugh! Did you sleep with the pigs last night your breath smells awful!" She pinched her nose and scrunched up her face in mock horror. He walked over and deliberately puffed in her face. "Ugh I can taste that foulness!" She groaned and shoved him back. He tripped in his sleepiness and fell on the stair and knocked over a stand holding a vase with flowers and it crashed to floor. "SHHHHHHH!" Kishi hissed. Her brother glared up at her as a puddle of water covered the floor. Kishi went for rags to mop up the floor and a broom to sweep up the broken ceramic. She winced knowing her parents would skin them both alive. When she arrived back to the stairs her father stood there with his hands on his hips her and stared at her. "She pushed me, it wasn't my fault, Kishi pushed me on purpose and knocked me down!" Oh that wretch! How she wished to strike him. "Papa, I pushed him because he was breathing his foul breath in my face and being nasty to me," she said. Her father ran a tired hand through his hair and crossed his arms, "You'll both being paying for that vase. I bought that for your mother as a gift last midwinter, and you will Both replace it."

Kishi nodded silently and started to pick up the pieces, but her brother argued, "I don't see why I have to pay when I didn't do ANYTHING!"

"Be quiet you, or else you'll have double chores for the next week," their father growled, "now help your sister clean up that mess. Kishi we will leave in one and a half candlemarks for town."

"Yes, father," she answered quietly.

Kishi scooped up the broken shards into a pile and began collecting them to toss them outside. Her brother waited till she had her hands full and then pushed her hands knocking the shards out of her hands and to the floor again. "Opps, sorry, sister dear," he said in a horribly sarcastic manner. He flounced off to the kitchen to grab some bread and change his clothes to head to barn to do his chores, leaving his sister to clear away the mess before her youngest brother and mother came down stairs. Kishi scooped up the pieces again with a sigh. If she yelled at him it would not do any good. She would just get into more trouble. Zack was always treating her this way, making fun of her and picking fights with her. She figured it was because she was older, and because her father had bought her Jessi.

He was somewhat jealous of his older sister. She really did not know why other than the pony. Her father had bought her the pony after her eldest brother had been killed while out watching the cattle graze. He had been on foot, and his father was sure that if he had had a horse or pony to ride away on, he may have lived. If Zack was in charge of watching the cattle he would have Jessi, not Kishi, but he didn't view it that way. Kishi had natural ability with animals that her brother Zack lacked. All the animals on the farm liked her. She liked them all, and she was adept at reading them, so she thought. She always knew when was feeling ill, or was hurting in some way, and she always seemed to know what was wrong with them. It was uncanny in many ways, but she thought it was just because she spent a lot of time with the animals. She dreamed of one day being a horse trainer, or at least married to someone that allowed her to own or work with horses. She dreamed of raising horses and training them, and to have her name known throughout the south of Valdemar as an expert trainer. When she was little she had wanted to ride a Companion and like any small child of Valdemar dreamed of being chosen. However, she felt her place was here in the country with her family, and raising horses. She gave up those dreams of protecting the land and galloping into victory atop a glowing white Companion as silly children's dreams. Now she dreamed of marrying Jerod and having a child or two and raising horses with him. He would care for their feet and she would break them to ride and drive. She dreamed as she swept up the last bit of glass and tossed it out into the bushes, and then picked up and set the table upright as her mother came down carrying the small Mica. She put the rags in with the wash, and sat the broom away again. She walked out and let the cattle out of the barn, since her father and brother had spent time milking them all. They would not go out to graze today as she would go to town. She groomed Jessi until his coat gleamed the pretty red roan and gleamed in the sun. She put his harness on him and led him out to the cart. As she hitched him to the cart her father and brother loaded five canisters of milk, three bags of wool, and two full baskets of eggs, and some greens from their garden for trading with the locals for cloth, prizes, and other necessary bits they needed like flour, oats, and some other meat than that which her father trapped periodically.

Kishi rode at the front of the cart driving the pony, and her father started out walking beside him. He would later on down the road join her in the cart. They would take a while to make it to town as they lived out into the wilderness a ways. However, they would be back by midday. They left as the sun's first rays clawed over the trees and turned the horizon beautiful shades of orange and red. They headed down the trail to the main road to the town. They started out in silence. Kishi was still embarrassed from the incident that morning. Her father was not happy, but as they got further away from the farmstead he began to relax. He climbed up into the cart next to his daughter and started, "Dearest, you know being the oldest you should be setting an example for your brothers, though I do know that Zack does make that difficult. He is not an easy one to get along with." Kishi sighed, "No father, you are correct I should know better than to fight back with him, it just makes it all worse. I wish he wasn't so mean all the time." Her father reached over and patted her on her shoulder. She looked up into the man's kind face. He had more wrinkles than he had a year ago. His hair was much grayer than it had been before the raids. His blue eyes seemed so very sad, but his face was kind and he gave her a look that said, it will be all right.

They were about half way to town, and on the edge of the road were some beautiful flowers coming up in dark purple and bright pink. Kishi thought that maybe her mother would love some flowers. "Hey da, do you think we can stop on the way home and pick some of those wild flowers? I think mother would love them." Her father nodded "mmhmm, that should be fine." They continued their journey to the village in quiet contemplation. The road was well traveled, but there were no ruts in it yet, but wait until winter, when the snow, rain and mud would make the road all but impassable. Kishi hated traveling in the winter to the village for supplies. It was always miserable, and took twice as long as it had today. Kishi looked up at the call of a hawk and smiled up into the sunshine. She closed her and heard the animals all around. The chirp of the birds, the squeaking of squirrels, and the quietness of rabbits that darted from the edge of the road upon their approach. She could see in her mind all the animals in the surrounding forest and she saw in her mind the other horse traveling the road before she heard it and long before her father saw it with his own eyes. She saw the rider a top the stunning bay horse, and it was her Jerod. Her eyes flew open and she turned a shade of scarlet and looked straight ahead in anticipation. Her father picked up on her tense nature. He looked from his daughter and then ahead to the path before them. He heard a horse whinny in the distance and smiled back at his daughter. Though it was unusual how she always knew when animals were around and seemed to communicate better with them than others, he counted it as a blessing, as when fences were down they never lost any of their livestock. The animals would stay with his daughter and they always seemed ready to protect her as well. He smiled again as he saw a bay horse with a young man, no a boy, upon his back. He recognized the boy and realized immediately why his daughter's face was now a shade of rose pink. Kishi subconsciously smoothed her skirt and tugged at her blouse to make sure it was sitting just right. She took a moment to steal a glance towards her father, and was shocked to see him smiling almost laughing at her. She flushed a deeper red of sheer embarrassment realizing she must be wearing her emotions on her sleeve. It was no secret to anyone who saw her that she indeed liked the blond youth who was her senior by only three summers. Her father smiled and laughed softly. The boy slowed his horse as he approached the pony and cart carrying the father and daughter. Her father hailed him, "Aye, young Jerod, is it? Where did you find such a mount?"  
"It's not mine, sir, I'm taking back to his owner. He has a farm a short ways from town, and he needs his horse back today for some reason. So, mi da is having me ride him over there and walk back to town by this noon." Kishi's father shook his head, "Well safe travels lad." They passed on and Kishi still blushing looked back over her shoulder to the young man, who happened to glance back and wave farewell to her. She blushed and gingerly raised her hand in silent goodbye. She turned back forward and kept her gaze on her hands, her mind wandering. Oh how handsome he looked up on that horse. He had such a lovely seat, and was a great rider. He was good with animals, as he did not pull on the horse's mouth, and he was not rough with him in anyway. He was a gentle man, and he would be a gentle husband. She flushed at such a thought. Her father's deep throaty chuckle woke her from her day dream. She glared at him, but did not say anything as they were at the edge of town. They headed to the market square to get rid of their wares and collect their needed items.  
Kishi sat at the back of the cart and waited while her father haggled with a gentleman over the price of two containers of milk from their cows. She waited impatiently, and her feet dangled off the back and she tapped her heels against the hard wood of the underside of the wagon. Finally they agreed on a price money changed hands. She hopped off of the cart and turned to lift one of the heavy containers to have the man step up, "Nay, child, I will get that. It is far too heavy for a young girl to lift." Kishi scowled. He pushed her gently out of the way and lifted the canister out of the cart and began to carry it over to his goods. Kishi's father took the second canister and followed the man to his goods. How dare he say what a woman can and cannot do. Doesn't he know women can fight in the army if they wish! Kishi was frustrated by the man treating her like a little child. Her father came back with two empty milk canisters, one in each hand and lifted them easily to the back of his cart. He would purchase five more containers, then they would look for appropriate cloth to make clothes for the family with. She and her mother would dye it with natural dyes from the forest around them. As they were walking they passed a traveling trader's cart and tent. He had several unique items for sale. A sapphire blue vase, "it is the blue of the Companions' eyes," said the trader with a slight northern accent as he watched the girl stray from her father's side to look at the trinkets he had. The vase was beautiful, even more so than the one she and her brother had broken this morning. She perused his other artifacts he had offered for sale. There was a small wooden horse carved from a dark red wood that had a sweet scent to it. There was also a necklace on a silver chain with a pendent hanging from it, a deep blue with some little flecks of white in it. The trader noticed her eyes light on the necklace, "Ah! An excellent choice for a lovely girl! This necklace is all the way from Acabarrin, they call it Lapis." Kishi reached out gingerly to touch the stone. As she touched it she closed her eyes and for a brief second she could see a white horse rearing and screaming. Red flashes and blood seemed to fleck its white neck. Kishi's eyes flew open and she jerked her hand away from the stone. Her heart was pounding and her face had gone pale, she realized her jaw was clenched and had to force herself to relax in order to unclench it.

She looked over her shoulder to where her father had been and realized he was no longer there. How long had she been standing there? She turned and headed off in search of her father who was further along the street up by one of the fabric merchants picking out some beautiful, natural colored linen that her and her mother could dye. Kishi approached silently behind her father and touched his elbow gently and was surprised when he jumped a little at her touch. He glanced down at her and laughed, "You surprised me! I didn't even her you, you little imp!" He wrapped an arm around her and squeezed her in a side hug. Kishi smiled, "Sorry, da, I forget you're getting old and can't hear as well anymore," she joked with him. He shook his head, "Help me pick out some fabric for the family will ya?" Kishi began wandering through the rows of fabric. There was plain linen, heavy brocades, burlap, and other fabrics from across the seas in bright colors, and soft satins that felt smooth against Kishi's callused hands. Towards the back there were pelts, wools, and other furs for winter linings and clothing. Kishi found a lovely deer hide that had been tanned till it was as soft as velvet and supple like cotton. She knew in her heart that it was too expensive, but she wished that she could buy something so nice like this for her father or mother. The same for the vase she had seen earlier. Even the necklace that when she touched had scared her due to the sight she had seen. The white screaming horse image flashed back into her mind. She shook her head, and reached out to stroke the soft velveteen hide before her.

"Kishi, we're done here. Shall we go looks for presents?" Kishi turned back to her father and nodded. Her shoulder length brown hair that had been braided that morning had a few loose pieces coming from it now, and a few wispy strands blew into her face as an Eastern breeze kicked up dust along the street. They began heading down the street together looking for little items to get the rest of the family first. Her father found a lovely knife with an ivory handle for her brother Zack. Kishi agreed that Zack would like the useful and pretty gift. Her father's eye was caught by the blue vase that Kishi had earlier looked at. Kishi had found a lady that made dolls and cloth animals. She found an adorable cloth companion the lady had made. She used blue buttons for the eyes of the white cloth companion, and white wool yarn for its full mane and tail. She knew that Mica would love such a toy. It took her a while to haggle the lady down to a price she could afford, but finally they came to an agreement and Kishi paid for Mica's gift with the little money her father had given her from their sales of the day. Kishi smiled at the new toy for her youngest brother, every child at one point dreams of having his own companion, and even if he was never chosen, Mica would always cherish this gift. Kishi sought her father out. He was by the table that she had stopped by earlier. He was haggling over a few items. It looked like the vase and some other small item. As she approached the trader looked up at her approaching. Her father turned and smiled at her. He saw the small cloth toy for Mica and grinned. "He will love that, and you my daughter which would you prefer this," he said holding up the blue necklace, "or this?" in his other hand was the red horse. She loved the little horse, but the necklace was beautiful, but she felt the tinge of the vision that she associated with it. She reached out to the red horse, and it felt warm to the touch. She smiled as she handled it, it felt almost familiar. Her father shook his head. He knew which one she would choose, always the animal before pretties and jewelry bits. The little jewelry that she had been given she almost never wore. It was not much, a ring from her grandmother, and a necklace her mother had given her years ago when she was young. Kishi was always worried she would lose or wreck the items so she would never wear them outside of the home, unless the family was attending a festival or major holiday in the village. Kishi's father paid for the blue vase and for the horse figurine. He did not buy anything for himself, Kishi noticed, "Da what do you want?" Her father smiled, "Nothin', child. Seeing you and your brothers and your ma happy is all I need."

Kishi was unhappy with this answer, and so before they headed out of the village she set to look about to find something for her father. She didn't have much in money, only a few coppers left. It couldn't be expensive, but she needed something nice. She began wandering along the street looking at the wares. Nothing seemed right. The trader had nothing she thought would fit for her father. She walked along looking at different shops trying to find some trinket for him. As she walked someone hailed her, "Hey! Kishi!" She turned glancing around looking for the voice that called her. She saw the blond boy, Jerod, waving to her. He must have just gotten back to the village, she thought to herself. She smiled and waved timidly in his direction. She was still walking and looking back over her shoulder at him, when she suddenly tripped over a stone on the path. She flailed for a moment and managed to just catch herself, but felt the pull in her right leg. She realized what she had done after doing it. She heard his voice right next to her right side, and he was holding out his hand in a steadying manner, as if he was torn between helping her, or not. So she was frozen looking up into his blue eyes, and left blushing a shade of red that would make roses shamed. Kishi stood quickly, not knowing what to say, but it was Jerod who broke the awkward silence. "Ummm, are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Kishi said hurriedly. She straightened up and made to fix her clothes and surreptitiously smoothed her skirt. She glanced back to Jerod who made a move to stand next to her, as if to walk with her. She smiled, "Thank you." The boy smiled down at her, "No problem. So what had you so deep in thought I had to call your name twice earlier?" Kishi looked confused at him, "You did? I only heard the one time." He grinned wryly, "I noticed, so what were you thinking so hard about?"

"Oh, I was thinking about what to get for my father. He always brings use home trinkets and gifts after a particularly good sales day, and today we had a good day. We have something for him." Jerod nodded, "Well what do you think he wants?"

"I have no idea. He is difficult to find something for, and I don't have much of my money left, only a few coppers."

"Hmmm, that makes it a little more difficult eh?"

"mmhmm. What would you suggest? What do men like?"

Jerod puffed up a little bit at that. He wasn't quite used to thinking of himself as a man just yet, and Kishi had just implied that he was. It flattered his ego. How could he fail her now? Not when she had just complimented him. He smiled, "I would like something useful, but nice quality. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it should be nice. You know?" Kishi nodded.

"But I don't know what I can get for him, I don't any idea of what to do get him. He doesn't NEED anything really, but I want to get him something. We have all we need, but I don't know what he would like."

"What makes him happy?"

"To see me, my mom, and brothers happy. He does have a small flute he made and taught himself to play."

"I know what you can get him! Follow me!" Jerod took her hand and led her off the main street of the market to a small shop that sold books, paper, parchment, and ink. Inside sat a little old woman wearing an old, raggedy red robe of a bard.

Most bards retired to larger cities to sell their wares, but Shanna had chosen to come back to the border that she had grown up on. She hoped to inspire future bards, and helped the collegium to recognize talent far out of the main towns down on the borders to help bring diversity to Bardic Collegium. She smiled as Jerod came bounding through the door. He was a regular there, and his voice wasn't half bad. He would never be a bard, but he did have some talent and Shanna smiled at her pupil, as she saw that he drug with him a young girl, not much younger than him. Maybe she has some bardic gift, she thought wistfully to herself. It had been three years since anyone in the region had had enough of a gift to be sent to the Bardic Collegium to be trained. However, as the girl approached it was plain in her eyes that she was confused as to why she was being brought to the bard. Jerod started, "Heyla, Shanna, this is Kishi and she's needing a gift for her da. He plays a penny whistle he made himself, and Kishi here wants to get him a small gift." The bard appraised the girl, "What are you looking for?" Kishi shrugged, "Ma'am I only have a few coppers, and my da doesn't know how to read music, but I know that music makes him happy, and I want to get him something nice, but useful." The bard nodded. These people didn't need sheet music, as they learned by ear, most people in the region were illiterate, as they grew up before the King's dictation that all children would attend schooling so that they could do basic figuring, reading, and some basic writing. Their children may be able to read and write, but their parents rarely used those skills even if they had learned growing up, so most forgot the skills anyhow. Shanna thought, "hmmm, you say he made the penny whistle himself? He must be a skilled wood carver."

Kishi shrugged in reply, "He's all right. He knows some things well. He can whittle well enough, but that is because grandda taught him. He can play ok too, but he doesn't know many songs. I just don't know what he could use." The bard smiled and began looking around her shop. She thought and thought about what a poor farmer and his family could use. They obviously appreciated his music, but the penny whistle was all he had. Any instrument she would have would cost more than the few coppers that the girl had, and she did not have many that would be of interest to the farmer and his family anyhow. This was a tough dilemma, normally children would buy their fathers other things like shirts, or fancy trews, or knives and the like. Men were always difficult to find gifts for, Shanna recalled trying to purchase Midwinter gifts her male friends and relatives. They were always the hardest. Women were so much easier, you could always buy a necklace, or shiny bauble of some sort and they would be content. Men, who knew what they would like. She smiled and looked over to Jerod, "Boy what would you like bought for you? What sort of item catches your fancy that you think I may have?" Jerod grinned, "Even though I can't play it, or sing that great, I would like one of your music books. You know the ones that show the notes and the lyrics to songs. Even if I can't play it or sing it, I would practice some of the easier ones, and it would be nice to read."

"Hmmm," the bard contemplated more. She looked over to the girl who had her eye on a pretty gitern. The girl plucked a couple of the strings tentatively, almost as if she was worried that her touch would break the instrument. The bard smiled, she knew what to have the child get her da. She went back to her office to dig out an old book that taught the basic fingerings for a penny whistle for different notes, and also a copy of an easy version of Sun and Shadow. A duet meant for a girl and guy to sing. She smiled at the two young ones before her. She handed the girl both the book and the sheet music.

"This one will teach your father how to read music, so he can play simple songs from a page, and this," she held up the sheet music, "is one of the most famous and most beautiful ballads ever written. This version is a simple version meant for just a penny whistle, but it also has the lyrics so that you and someone else in your family may sing along. You can read, yes?" The girl stared at the music book and the sheet music and nodded dumbly. Kishi's mouth could not form the words she wanted to say. Her dad would love it! Well hopefully, but anything she would give him he would like at least. She then remembered she only had a few coppers left and pulled them from her small leather pouch attached at her belt. She dumped the few coppers into her hand, and looked up sullenly to the bard, a more pitiful façade Shanna had never seen. She almost laughed at the girl's face. "This can't be enough for that book and the music. It must be worth a lot more than this, and all I have is this." The bard took her copper pieces, "Aye, but I'll give them both to you if you do me one favor." Her eyes glimmered with mischief.

"I want to play Sun and Shadow and have you and Jerod here sing it for me together." The bard knew that young Jerod carried a torch for this country girl even if she didn't know it. She looked to the girl and watched her turn three shades red. Ah, maybe, she thought to herself, maybe these two are life bonded. She couldn't quite tell yet, as it was still young and in the earliest stages of a bond, but these two, if given the chance would be life bonded by the end of the year, and no doubt their families would happily engage the idea of these two wedded. She did not know much about Kishi, except what Jerod had told her during their lessons. She was a farmer's daughter, and she had an unnatural talent handling all animals, even the most frustrating ones with the ease of an experience trainer. She was plain, but he said that she had the most beautiful eyes, and the most lovely personality. She seemed to be kind and honest enough. Jerod was handsome enough, and he was a good boy, and he would be a great husband for this girl. She smiled at herself playing a little bit of matchmaker. She pulled out her lute from its case behind her counter. She began tuning it as the girl began to make excuses, "Oh but I can't sing, I never had any training. I…I…I don't know if I should." The bard pointedly ignored all of her doubts, she continued to tune her lute. She began playing through the beginning of the song, stopped, tightened one string, and looked up expectantly to the youth before her. "I don't know the song, or the tune," Kishi said her eyes wide with fear realizing she wasn't going to get out of singing so easily. She was worried about how they would perceive her voice. She wasn't awful, but she wasn't that great either. She didn't know what to do. The bard knew the girl couldn't be afraid and sing so she took a few moments to calm her. Her hands subconsciously picked the strings and she said in a sing-song way, "Child, you must be calm; otherwise your voice will be tight and not sound as good as it could. You may not know the words, but I gave you the music for a reason. Jerod, you will lead, since you know the first part. Now just listen to song the first time both of you and then join in when I start again." The bard used her gift to project a calm over both students. She smiled as she saw Kishi's shoulders relax and drop back. The girl seemed to straighten her posture almost naturally. Kishi listened to the music and closed her eyes. She could almost see the characters of the ballad before her, but in their place she saw a sparrow, and she could hear it singing this exact song. She listened and when the line began again, she read the music. She was not great, and she stumbled over some of the words, but Jerod's deep voice took over suddenly. He was sure of himself and sang the first few lines with confidence that encouraged Kishi, and she added her softer, higher pitch to his. She closed her eyes again and listened, she automatically began to harmonize with him. The bard smiled as she watched the two youths sing. She would have a chat with Jerod's father about this farm girl. The two should be engaged by the end of the summer. Their voices were perfect together, and it was obvious to her that a life bond was beginning to form, one that should be nurtured and encouraged. She could only hope that Kishi's parents would be willing to go along with such an arrangement.

Kishi left the bard's shop with Jerod. They walked along in complete silence, neither wanting to break the spell that they felt while they sang together. Kishi looked up at the young man next to her. He seemed lost in thought. "Jerod," she started tentatively, "I wasn't completely horrible was I?" The boy turned and stared incredulously at her. "No." He stated bluntly. He grinned, when she blushed, "You sounded like a bird. You have some talent for music." The girl shook her head, "Any talent I have with it is from me da. I don't know hardly any songs except some sheep herding songs he taught me years ago." Jerod reached out and took her hand in his, and stopped abruptly. She stopped at his gentle tug, they were still a little ways away from the main street leading to the market, and it was late. She turned to him to tell him that, and was shocked when he was closer to her than she thought. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Her eyes widened in surprise, but she closed them and relaxed into him. Her heart raced and blood pumped to her face. She felt the heat in her cheeks, and she knew she had to be the color of a tomato. He broke off the kiss, and looked down at her, causing her to blush even deeper red, which she thought to be impossible. Her mind flew, but not one cohesive thought came to mind. She stood there dumbly, just staring at him. He grinned, took her hand and led her back to the market. She still wasn't entirely with it when they reached the market and her da who was staring at her impatiently. She muttered some apologies, and Jerod spoke up on her behalf. She didn't hear anything he said, something about wanting to introduce her to a friend of his, and it being his fault she was so late in coming back to the cart. She never heard her father's reply because she was envisioning the kiss again, and she flushed crimson again. She numbly climbed into the cart. Jerod waved a hearty goodbye, and she couldn't help but smile back at him and even blew him a kiss. It was his turn to blush and stand dumbly on the side of the road at that action. Her father drove them out of town. He had seen the deer caught in torch light look in his daughter's face and was worried the stupid boy had done something to her at first. At the playful kiss she had tossed back at him when they left, he laughed. Whatever had transpired had caused her to lose her fear and awe of the boy. Obviously they both had feelings for one another, and there was something going on. He would have to have a chat with Jerod's father the next time he was in town for market. For it would simply not do to have his eldest child day dreaming about his boy when she was to be caring for the animals, and he laughed out loud at the thought.

The ride home on the cart was a relaxed ride. When they got home and handed out the gifts to the family everyone was thrilled. Kishi's father loved his gift from and gave her a hug and kissed her on the forehead. Kishi's life seemed a blur after the incident with Jerod. She found herself dreaming of seeing him again. She felt as if her heart would explode if she didn't get to see him again. Then it happened, and she was forced to focus on her animals again. Her pony Jessi one morning refused to leave the barn, and he seemed to be in severe pain. He started nipping at his side, and soon he was laying and rolling, the signs of colic. Kishi was panic stricken, she called her mother and father to the barn as soon as she saw her beloved pony in pain. Kishi was in his stall with Jessi, she knelt beside him stroking his head. His body covered in sweat, and he reached back to nip at his belly again. Her mother had taken Mica inside, her father had sent Zach to take the cattle out for the day, and he had gone to get some thing from a neighbor whose wife was a midwife that would hopefully help the stressed pony. Kishi was left alone in the stable with her, Jessi. She talked with him, "everything will be ok. Da is going to come back with some thing that will help you." She continued to stroke her pony's head. She closed her eyes and rested her head against Jessi's head. She wished with all her heart, and thought and prayed as hard as she could that he would stand up. Even though it would hurt, she knew that him standing up and walking would help him. The pony groaned and struggled for a moment. Kishi pulled back in surprise, and watched with amazement as Jessi slowly stood up. She looked into his eyes and it was like he was saying to her, "I'm up now what should I do. It still hurts." Kishi winced in reply. She stood up next to him, and she lead him out of his stall and up and down the middle of the barn. About that time her father came back with some herbs and vegetable oil from the midwife. Her father mixed the herbs into the vegetable oil mixture and was trying to figure out a way to get the pony to drink it. The mixture according to the midwife was to help clean out the pony's stomach and help reduce any pain he felt. Kishi stood holding his lead and the pony reached back and nipped at his belly again, she could feel how distressed he was, and could see it in his eyes. The pain he was in was tremendous. She was worried he may have twisted his stomach and then there would be nothing her or anyone could do for him except end his misery. Her father tried to force his mouth open and managed to pour some of the nasty substance down his throat. The pony pulled back, flipped up his lip, and shook his head trying to get the foul tasting concoction out of his mouth. Kishi placed her hands on either side of his halter. She silently implored Jessi to drink the concoction. The pony snorted at her in reply. "I know it's disgusting, but you have to drink it. It will help you feel better. It will make you better. It will take the pain away. I promise!" The pony sighed. Her and her father didn't have any more trouble getting the pony to drink the foul drink. She smiled at Jessi, and coaxed him into walking some more to help him work the stuff through his system. About an hour after drinking the stuff the pony seemed to feel better, he had two bowel movements, which confirmed to Kishi's relief that the pony had not twisted his gut.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

It had been two weeks after Jessi coliced. Life was normal as it could be on the farmstead. Kishi was out on foot as she was worried about Jessi still not feeling up to the task. Kishi walked amongst the cows. She could sense their contentedness. She sat in the grass and closed her eyes. She could hear the birds in the trees, and the buzz of the bugs on the grass. She felt the sun warm her face and smiled. A cloud passed over head and she opened her eyes and just leaned back, relaxing for a bit. She heard and sensed the horde before they were even visible to anyone. She heard a horse in the forest cry out. She heard birds scream and fly away. She knew at once that they were unfriendly as other animals dispersed and hid. The cows lowed. She was on foot and had no weapons. She got up and ran towards the farmstead. To her surprise the cows followed along behind her at a steady trot. She raced all the way back to the farm. She was panting when she got into the yard. She called out, "MA! DA! There are raiders coming!" She raced to the barn and opened up all the gates. She wasn't thinking, she was acting. She knew that if the animals were free they wouldn't be killed or captured. She raced into the barn where Jessi was, and threw open his stall door, and sent him out of the stall and barn at a canter. All the animals collected in the middle of the yard. Kishi shouted at them to run. She could feel the fear in the birds and rabbits that had taken cover from the approaching raiders. The sheep ran off in one direction. The cows ran down the trail towards town, and Jessi her beloved pony stood staring at her refusing to leave his human.

Kishi ran up to him and took his halter and turned him towards the woods. She hit him and tried to drive him away. Her mother came out into the yard, "Kishi! What are you doing?! Why did you turn the animals lose! Kishi stop!" Kishi was blinded by the fear she felt. She looked over to her mom whose eyes were wide with fear. Kishi heard the pounding hooves, from the trail leading from the grazing lands. She heard a shout, and her mother half turned to see the first of the riders break from the trees. Jessi was suddenly between her and the raiders. He used his body to push her towards the trail leading to town. Her father came running up from the fields with her brother Zach fast behind. Her mother screamed, "Mica!" The young boy stood between her and the house, and a raider captured him by the back of his neck. Another raider kicked her mother to the ground. Suddenly the pony was pushing her again, Kishi shrieked her frustration as she tried to get to her mother and youngest brother, but the pony kept her from going to them. She heard a voice in her head, "Run, damn you, mare, run! I will protect you, you are my herd mate." Kishi turned and began running towards the forest. She heard hooves galloping behind her. She turned to see a rider on a huge chestnut horse bearing down on her. She shouted at the horse, "Stop! Whoa! Leave me alone!" The horse skidded to a halt and threw the rider to the ground in the process by dropping his head. The rider comically slid down the horse's neck. The burly man wrapped his arms around the beast's neck, which caused the horse to rear and shake the rider off, dumping him unceremoniously in the dirt. He cussed, "You fucking stupid beast! I'll kill you!" The horse ran away from his rider, and went to join the pony trying to shield Kishi's brother Zach from advancing fighters.

Kishi turned back to the forest and ran. She followed a deer trail that she knew well. She ran jumping logs and branches until she could no longer hear fighting. She stopped to see where she was. She began to back track back towards the trail leading to town. Her lungs burned as if they were aflame. Her heart still raced. She needed to warn people. She wished she had a horse, or Jessi, to help her travel faster. Suddenly, the chestnut horse came crashing through the underbrush. He stopped short in front of her. She looked up with her tear stained face at the big red horse. He dropped his head to her, and in her mind, "I'm sorry, mare. I will help you, you are now my herd." She stared shocked at the chestnut horse. "How…How is it that I can understand you?" The horse shook his head, and she felt his confusion at this new strange power as well. She heard again, "I do not know, but you are one of few two-legged sort who can. I will take you where ever you wish to go."

She struggled a few minutes trying to get up onto the tall back of the horse. Finally, she found a log that was fallen and climbed on it, and called him over to her. She mounted, and they were off at a steady trot. His movements were larger, but smoother than her own pony's gaits. They covered a lot of ground, but she could feel the raiders behind her. They had attacked several farms, which had slowed them down some, but not enough. She squeezed her legs to the side of the red chestnut and urged him to move faster with her mind. The horse moved to a fast, ground covering canter. If it wouldn't have been for the raiders coming up behind her, Kishi would have loved the feeling of the flying the horse gave her. Instead, she looked behind her anxiously, and soon she could see the edge of the village of Cordor before her. She urged the horse to a gallop. He flew through the town's gates and she pulled him up short, and shouted, "There are raiders! Raiders are coming! Close the gates!" The man guarding the gate stood there shocked at her arrival. She began trotting through the town calling out about the raiders. When she made it to the market street she found people rushing hither and thither arming themselves, and women and children barricading themselves inside. She felt someone grab her leg and looked down to her beloved Jerod, he looked up at her with fear in his eyes. He helped her slide off of the big red horse, and she spoke to the horse, "Help us, help him fight the raiders." The horse dipped his head in acknowledgement of her command. Kishi turned to Jerod who was staring at her as if she were insane. "I can't explain, but he understands me. Please be careful. They took Mica, and I don't know about my father, mother, or Zack." He took her hand and squeezed it.

He led her to the smithy shop and sent her inside the house with his mother and younger siblings. Jerod's mother and Kishi went up the stairs and hid in the woman's bedroom. The girl and woman pushed the bed in front of the door, and the two younger children cowered in the corner. Their mother took a blanket and wrapped it about them to shield them from what ever might happen. Kishi had grabbed a broom and a pitchfork on the way up. There was one window out of the bedroom, and she looked out as it looked just over the wall, and she saw the horde. There were at least seventy-five of them. Most of them looked to be foreigners. They all rode horses. Some had bows with arrows, others carried swords, and others some with spears. Some were already drenched in blood. She saw another small contingency of the raiding party off to the side corralling captives that had bound them together. Her heart leaped into her throat. This was the group they had heard rumors of. They were capturing people to sell into slavery across the border.

Kishi put herself between the children and door, and their mother watched through the window now. Kishi looked back, Jerod's mother was pale, she spoke, "Please if they take me, kill me. And if they kill me, please child, protect my babes." Tears welled in the woman's eyes. She knew that the men fighting would be dead, and she knew what would happen when they breached the walls. Kishi swallowed the bile that rose in her throat. Kishi looked over to Jerod's younger sisters who both sat crying clutching the blanket and each other. She numbly nodded to their mother.

They heard the roar of the raiders as the raced towards the village wall. They heard the screams of death. Kishi never looked out of the window and kept her eyes on the door to the bedroom. She closed her eyes and prayed to the gods for help. She called for the animals around the village to help keep the people of the village safe. She would have been amazed to see horses with no riders, cows, and goats who decided to trip, run over, and kick at the men trying to capture them or kill them. Dogs and feral cats that roamed the town came to bite and scratch at the evil men invading their territory. Some animals still fled in fear, but some who heard and listened to Kishi's silent plea fought till death. Kishi felt exhausted and leaned on the pitchfork. Her race through the forest and wild ride to town was catching up with her she thought. She was noticing the stings from cuts and bruises that were coming out on flesh. Then she heard it, the crack of the gate and the victorious screams of the raiders, and fearful cries of the men fighting. The gate gave way before the pressing onslaught. Kishi closed her eyes, and prayed to the gods to protect them.

The raiders streamed into the village slaying all before them. Their numbers had been thinned greatly by this point. Many of theirs lay wounded, dying, or dead outside the gate, there were only about forty now. They were more skilled in fighting though and now the villagers who fought were being cut down three to every one of the raiders. She saw the fight through another's eyes for a moment. She saw the red horse carrying Jerod. She saw him rear up, and she saw Jerod fall. She felt the bite of an arrow into the horse's shoulder. She heard his scream. She watched in horror as the horse fell, and the raiders leaped upon him like wild dogs, killing their own horse for betraying them. Killing it because it had fought against them. Kishi dropped to her knees in pain, she was sobbing and she threw up on the floor. She had never seen such a horrible thing in her life. She didn't know how she saw it, but she saw it all as it was happening. Oh gods, where is Jerod?! She thought frantically and prayed desperately for his safety in all of this. The horse had given himself for her and her people. He had said he was her herd now, but she didn't dare dwell on that. Now, the raiders were attacking houses after sending the few men left fleeing. Jerod's mother was behind her staring out the window, "Oh gods, oh gods, they are taking children and women!" She was still looking out the window in horror as one of the raiders looked up and saw her. He let loose an arrow that shattered the window. She shrieked and dove to the side. Glass crashed to the floor and Kishi swung around to see Jerod's mother bleeding from a gash on her arm from a shard of glass that had cut her. Kishi moved to help the woman up, "Stay away from the window! They'll kill you otherwise." Kishi helped her crawl to the corner.

Kishi took back up her guard position across the bed from the door, and held the pitchfork in front of her. She heard the men pounding up the steps. She heard them kick in one door and rut through the room taking valuables and laughing. When they tried to kick open their door, Kishi winced at the heavy thud against the door. She heard the men call to companions down the stairs. They heard them take axes or swords to the door, and she winced as she heard the door crack and creek. Finally a sword blade broke through part of the door. Then an axe head appeared next to it. A piece of wood broke off, and an ugly looking face peaked in upon seeing Kishi he cried, "There's women in there! Break it down!" Kishi without thinking took the pitchfork and jabbed through the small opening hitting the raider in the face. She heard a screech, and a thud as the man fell to floor screaming in pain, "My eye, the bitch took me eye!" The end of the pitchfork came back with blood covering the tips of the tines. Kishi stood trembling and terrified. The girls behind her screamed and sobbed. Kishi took a brief second to glance back at them. Their mother sat in front of them clutching them in her arms and trying to calm them. Kishi turned back towards the door as an axe worked at the small hole and enlarged it. She knew they would get through, but it would take them a little bit of time. She backed towards the wall and window. She peaked out of the window and down below. She saw behind the house along the wall was clear of people except for a few bodies. She began thinking of how to get them down, and then she looked to the blanket and sheets. She grabbed the sheets and knotted them together and tied part of them to bed's leg. Suddenly a man's head poked through the hole in the door, but he was stuck, his shoulders and armor were too wide. Kishi took the pitchfork and jabbed him in the face repeatedly. She closed her eyes as she heard him scream and felt the warm splash of blood on her clothing as she stabbed him in the throat. He gurgled and slumped dead. The children and mother were screaming behind her. Kishi felt nauseous as she had before when she had seen in her mind how the horse died. She remembered his scream of pain and anger, and she steeled herself with the feeling of anger and pain. She heard the raiders shrieking and they yanked on their companion's body, trying to remove it from the door. They only needed a few more hacks and they would be through. Kishi raced to the window and tossed the sheets out. She called and motioned for the mother and her two girls to come to the window, "Come now, out the window, down to the street. Run to the forest and hide. I will keep them busy till you get through."

The mother picked up the first child and gingerly grabbed the sheet she got part way out of the window and slipped. The child clung to her mother's neck and shoulders, and the mother cried out in fear. When she didn't fall all the way, she stopped crying. She looked up terrified at Kishi. Kishi nodded and woman slowly slid down the sheets. The next girl, about ten years old, had spent ample time climbing trees, carefully crawled out the window and down the sheets. Kishi looked back to the door as she heard a loud crack. She saw the door was about to give way. She quickly looked out the window all three were on the ground running towards the gate. She looked back in time to see the door break apart. A man came running at it and shattered it with his shoulder. He landed on the bed and lunged after her. Kishi grabbed the sheet and leaped out of the window. For a brief second she was flying and next she was falling. She hit the side of the house with a sickening thud. Her grip loosened and she slid down the sheet. She landed on her back on the hard earth with thwack. She gasped for air, and struggled to breath. She struggled to her feet and began to limp towards the gate. He leg hurt, and fire shot through it. She sent out a silent call, "Oh gods, please help me, any beast, any one please help me!" What she saw terrified and encouraged her. A pack of wolves of about six in number came racing through the main gate of the village.

They leaped over dead bodies, and rushed past her to stop the men that had followed her from the house and were beginning to pursue her. She limped towards the gate to be met by a stag from the forest. He stood beside her and she leaned on him as she continued to limp run through the gate. The wolves made fast work of three of the men following her. She heard their dying screams. She then heard one of the wolves yip as an arrow bit into its flesh. She looked back to see two wolves be hit by arrows and tears fell down her face. She had prayed and these poor animals were dying to save her. Oh gods, what have I done. She tried to push the stag away, "Live, be free, don't die for me, please, they will kill you too," she sobbed at the lovely creature. All she got in reply was a stare that said, "You will live, you will be free, I will keep them from you, just keep running herd mate." She realized that they were going to protect her now no matter what the cost. She began to run again, when suddenly two men on horses came from the hill and chased after her. The stag was shot by one with a bow. Kishi felt a fire lance her shoulder as a raider reached down and grabbed her. She cried out. The man pulled her up kicking and screaming in front of his saddle bow. She was laying on her stomach on the horse's neck. The man hit her hard across the face, and she mercifully fell into blackness. The stag lay bleeding, and the raider who had shot him, dismounted and with a hunting knife slit his throat, "Well, we will eat like kings tonight!" He laughed. The other agreed as his partner loaded his kill behind his saddle and they rode off to join the rest of the men with the other captives.

Kishi woke some time later. It was dark, but there was fire light near by. She felt heavy chains around her wrists and ankles. She lifted her head, and fell back to the earth, as it throbbed. She reached up, jingling her chains to touch her face. Her eye was swollen shut, and he felt the bruise, and whimpered. Kishi rolled to her side and looked around her. There were people laying next to her in chains. She didn't know if they were asleep or dead. She heard someone near her move, and she struggled to sit up on her elbow. Her head throbbed and the world spun around her. She groaned, and as she let her good eye adjust to the darkness she began to see that it was mostly children and women around her. She saw a few off towards the trees leaning against trees or logs. One laying next to her was crying softly. Kishi whispered, "Hey who is that?" All of a sudden a large shadow came up behind her and she was kicked in the ribs. It knocked the wind out of her, and she sucked desperately for air. As she lay gasping the big creature reached down and ripped her shirt open. His huge paws groping her and touching her. She gasped again from shock, and tried to fight him. Another fist caught her in the face and she collapsed to the ground. Kishi felt the tears flow from her good eye, as the man removed her breeches and touched her. She cried out, but no one said anything, no one did anything, and she screamed to the gods for help. He beat her until she could no longer talk. He raped her, and then left her in her shame, naked, covered in blood and every inch of her in pain. Kishi sobbed, and now knew why no one would speak or do anything to alert the guards that they were awake. Kishi reached for her breeches and slowly pulled them over her bare legs. She clutched at the open shirt trying to hide her naked chest. A woman quietly crawled over to her, it was her neighbor's wife. She silently helped Kishi put back her breeches on and took a shawl she had wrapped about her, and wrapped it about Kishi. She held the sobbing girl and rocked her back and forth until Kishi had cried herself to sleep.

Their captors were brutal. The next day everyone was forced to walk. Kishi was forced up as the sun rose. Her body ached from the beating and the rape the night before. Her face was horrible and the other children wouldn't look at her. As they marched at a break neck speed some women or children fell. Those that fell were beaten or killed on the spot. Some of the women were taken into the woods when they stopped for a break and Kishi could hear their screams. It frightened her, and she clung to the shawl about her. The children cowered away from their captors. There were about fifty children and thirty women that had been captured, Kishi saw. Kishi did not see any of her kin at first, but later in the day when they stopped for a second break, she saw her brother Mica and Zack. They were chained together a ways away from her. She longed to call out to them, but didn't dare for fear that she'd be beaten. She worked her way slowly over to their area of the chained captives. Zack stared at her when she first approached without realizing who she was. He didn't recognized his sister beaten and bloodied as she was. She knelt beside him and hugged him. They sat this way for a few minutes and cried together, Kishi whispered to him, "Mother? Pa?" Zack shook his head and tears streamed down his face. Kishi closed her eyes and tears streamed down her face. She wanted to scream, but didn't dare.

The gods were cruel, how could they take such good people! How could they be gone? Kishi motioned for Mica to come to her. She cuddled the small child as she sobbed into his shoulder. She stroked his hair and cried, as he cried. She vowed silently and then out loud, "We will live through this and we will escape. We will get out of this, I swear to you we will." She heard the slave drivers behind her and one laughed, while the other mocked her, "We will escape…hey now, listen to this little piece of trash! She thinks she can beat us all!" Kishi turned towards them and glared with a fire in her eyes. She did something she had never done before. She used her mind as she had before to call to the animals of the forest, she felt them around her timid and shy, she forced her anger and frustration that she felt for her captors into their emotions. She then called them to fight, and attack the men that held them. She watched as the raiders' horses even began to rebel. She heard the sound of bells not too far away in the distance, but ignored it. She heard a horse, scream his anger. She watched as a group of birds swarmed down from the sky on a small cluster of raiders. A pack of wolves raced through the underbrush to bite and slash the raiders. Kishi was shocked, but at that moment she hauled herself with her chains over to the nearest body, and began looking for the keys to the chains. She found them on the third body she searched, and she pulled them out and held them up victoriously. She unlocked her chains and then began to unchain those around her. She looked up to see three companions, two with heralds on their backs fighting the raiders. The wolves, birds, and the raiders' horses were striking out at any raiders who dared move. Kishi watched as several ran away on foot. She saw a few attack the heralds only to be cut down. About half of the captives were unchained. She worked on her brothers' chains, and finally found the key to open them, when a hulking shadow appeared behind her. Kishi turned around slowly and looked up at the huge man who had attacked her the night before. He reached down to grab her and she struck him with a fist in the face. The man roared at her and grabbed her. That would be his final mistake. Suddenly the rider-less companion came galloping out of no where. He reared up and struck out at the raider who held Kishi. The man dropped her and she crawled back out of the way of the striking companion. She watched from her seat as the companion reared up and struck the man. Blood flecked the companion's white neck. He snorted angrily as he stomped the man to death.

::_Are you all right, chosen?_:: Kishi heard the question and sat there dumbly for a few moments. The companion moved closer to her and looked her up and down, once satisfied, he looked in her eyes. Kishi stared at the beautiful creature in front of her. She looked into his blue eyes that were bluer than the sky and she heard him call to her ::_Chosen, Kishi, I am Kaidan. I am your companion and I will protect you._:: Kishi felt tears streaming down her face. She hugged the companion tightly around his neck. She turned back to her brothers. Mica was smiling at his big sister, and Zack looked to be in shock. Kishi looked around to see what had happened while she had fallen into her companion's eyes. Kishi saw several raiders trying to drag off one or two girls and she saw the heralds still fighting a few others. Kishi picked up Mica and threw him on to the back of Kaidan. ::_Chosen, look out!_:: She was struck from behind by one of the raiders. He knocked her to the ground, and just as fast as a cat, Zack jumped on to the man's back and began clawing and hitting him in the head, "Stay away from my sister!" The man threw Zack to the ground and kicked him away. Kaidan whinnied a cry for help, and a herald was there with sword drawn to fight the raider.

Another raider came along behind the herald and grabbed Zack off of the ground and threw him over his shoulder and headed for the forest with him. Kishi weakly lifted her head in time to see her brother struggling against his captor as he disappeared into the forest. Kishi stood up and staggered forward trying to go after her brother and the raider who had captured him again. Kishi cried out in frustration. Her companion was beside her though, "Kaidan, they have Zack! We have to get him! They will kill him!" ::_Chosen, we will get him, but it will be faster if you ride instead of walk_:: she heard his wry voice in her head. She was so upset, she floundered while she struggled to climb into the saddle. She and Kaidan headed into the forest. Kishi searched frantically for her brother. She called out for him, "Zack! Zack! Zack where are you!" She was so frustrated tears streamed down her face. She didn't know what to do, but she felt the reassurance her companion was sending to her ::_Chosen, we will find him. We will bring him home._:: Kishi was sobbing now. She and her companion rode for another half candle-mark or so before heading back to the area where the other captives were. Kishi was distraught, and her companion continually tried to reassure her that they would bring her brother back, but nothing he said, and the feelings he sent of reassurance to her didn't help as much as they should have. Kishi's youngest brother Mica was standing holding hands with the neighbor's wife. The Heralds were trying to organize people. A small group of guards had arrived to help care for the injured, apparently Kaidan had told of what was happening in his chosen's home, and heralds and guards were sent to help with the situation. They had only been a couple villages away thankfully, otherwise it may have taken weeks for them to arrive. A few healers were being sent from a larger town from the north. It would take them two days to arrive according to Kaidan.

Kishi jumped from Kaidan's back and raced over to her youngest brother and hugged him. "Kishi can I ride your horse again?!" Bless him, Kishi thought as she cried onto his shoulder. She looked back at her companion and the two heralds who were organizing everyone together to take them back to Cordor. She knew that she would have to go to Collegium and study to be a herald, but what of Mica? She did not know if her parents were alive and according to Zack they were not. Mica needed her now. What of her animals and her family's farm? As the questions rose in number so did Kishi's panic level. Kaidan came close to her and nuzzled her shoulder, ::_We will figure it out, together. You are not alone, chosen, and if you need some time there is no rush to go to Haven._:: Kishi felt calmed a bit and she could feel her companion's reassurance. She began wondering if there was something she should be doing. Kishi held Mica's hand and two children began to walk about the people. Kishi saw a few people she recognized from town and their neighbors. The heralds had done their best to patch up those who were hurt, and one of the heralds approached Kishi and Mica. "So, you're the new trainee that Kaidan has picked." It was a statement, but Kishi could feel his appraising eyes. "So do you want to tell me how you got the wolves and birds to come and help us?" Kishi shrugged, the man continued as he reached out to touch her face Kishi pulled back in surprise, "You have a cut, Kishi, and it needs to be taken care of. Come here, I have some salve in my bags." Kishi had tied the shawl about herself to remain covered. She adjusted it some and followed tentatively behind the herald. ::_His name is Nicolas, but he goes by Nick. His companion is Kyra_.:: She heard the voice in her head, she glanced back to Kaidan who was watching her carefully. ::Y_ou can trust him, silly, he is a herald_.:: The voice sounded wry in her mind. She growled back, "Shut up you, it's not funny." The herald turned with a look of surprise, Kishi turned red and stammered, "No...Not you, herald sir, I...uh...Kaidan." The herald burst out laughing. "I'm sorry." He said through the laughter, "I forget you new trainees don't know how mind speech works entirely." Kishi heard Kaidan laughing in her mind as well, she glared at her companion. ::_You just have to think in your mind and I will hear you, chosen. You should be careful though you have a strong gift and if you shout others will hear you too_.:: Kishi stared in amazement at her companion and so she thought ::_So you can hear me? And I can hear you, just by thinking? Who else can hear me?_:: She heard the mental laughter of her companion, ::Y_ou are special, Kishi, you have the ability to speak and communicate with animals, all animals not just me. And you have a strong mind speech with other people as well_.:: Kishi thought to herself, oh well that explains why I could hear the animals thoughts and why they called me herd mate. Kaidan sent her a wave of approval to her as if she had just passed a difficult exam or something. It was Kishi's turn to smile at her companion, she winced a little as smiling hurt. The Herald Nick was behind her and he coughed to get her attention. Kishi spun around surprised and he held up a small container with a yellow paste in it. "This salve is the best there is! It will heal anything and dull any pain you have!" The other herald came up beside him, and to Kishi's surprise it was a woman. ::Aria, and her companion is Leo:: Kaidan supplied telepathically to her. Kishi thought back as hard as she could, and it came out as a mind shout ::SO IS THIS HOW ALL COMPANIONS COMMUNICATE?:: Kaiden, Leo, and Kyra all flattened their ears, and the other two heralds covered their ears and winced. Kishi looked at them surprised,

"What?"

"Oy! Child that is the loudest Mind shout, I've ever heard. They probably heard you all the way into Haven with that," Nick said.

"Sorry," Kishi blushed, she'd only been chosen for half a day and was already screwing up.

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. That is what Collegium is for," Aria said to her, sympathetically patting her on her shoulder. Kishi nodded.

Between the guard and the two heralds most of the captives had been patched up well enough that they could begin the trek back to Cordor. They knew that some of the raiders had escaped with a few of the captives, but the numbers were minimal, maybe ten raiders and four captives. Kishi rode atop Kaidan the way back to Cordor. She had set Mica in front of her in the saddle. They rode mostly in silence, except for Mica's happy jabbering periodically. When they rode back through the decimated gates of Cordor the damage that had been caused was obvious in the harsh daylight. Most of the houses had been burnt to the ground, but the bodies that had been strewn through the streets were gone. Some clean up had been started. As Kishi rode a woman caught her eye, it was Jerod's mother, she smiled and waved at Kishi. Both of her daughters beside her. They were dirty, and had some bruises, but they were safe and alive. That made Kishi's heart swell a little. She smiled back and rode over to them. Kishi saw the bruises on them and she hoped that they were okay. She swung down from Kaidan, and reached back up to help down Mica.

Kishi hugged the woman whom she had saved. Kishi realized she was still wearing the tied on shawl when Jerod's mom tsked her for it. Kishi led Kaidan to the black smith's barn and untacked him. She spent a little time brushing him, and it helped her to relax some. Her mind drifted, and she was surprised when Jerod's youngest sister came up behind her. She jumped when the girl said, "You have the most lovely companion! You are soooooo lucky to be chosen! I wish I had a companion!" Kaidan dropped his head to the small girl and nuzzled his thanks. ::It's so nice when people recognize that I'm pretty.:: The companion purred in Kishi's head. Kishi giggled, and the girl cocked her head to the side and looked at her quizzically. The movement reminded Kishi of a bird. Kishi smiled, "We speak with each other through our minds, that's how companions communicate apparently. I never knew how it worked either when I was your age. I just knew they were magic. He says thank you by the way." Kaidan nuzzled the girl again, and she giggled happily and petted his nose. The companion sighed happily. Kishi walked up to the house from the building. As she walked through the door she was surprised to see the majority of the house had been picked up and cleaned. She could smell the sweet wild flowers the girls had picked that were now sitting on the table. Anything that had been broken, including the door had been removed, and in its place for the time being was a blanket to help keep dirt and wind out, as well as afford the family some privacy.

The door would be replaced soon, she knew. She remembered how her and her mother had spent so much time cleaning up and fixing broken things in their own home after the raid that had killed her oldest brother. Her father had spent time carving a new door in the barn, and how one day when Kishi went to get him she peaked inside the door to see her father sitting with his back against one of the main posts sobbing. It had broke her heart. He hadn't smiled much after that. It had taken a few years for all of them to get over their grief of losing their kin. Nathan was a smart and funny, and he enjoyed making every one in the family laugh. He loved to joke, and rarely took anything seriously.

Jerod's mother lead her up the stairs to find her a shirt to wear. She lead her into the bedroom where Kishi had made her stand. The door had been removed the blood was gone from the floor and walls. The window had a board placed over it. The bed was moved back to wear it belonged, but what surprised Kishi most was there was a person laying in the bed. She moved towards the person who was sleeping and realized it was Jerod! His face was covered in cuts and bruises. His breathing was shallow. Kishi reached out to touch his hand and pulled back afraid she might hurt him. Jerod's mother came up behind her, "He fought hard even after that horse fell with him. The others say that when he saw his da get cut down he went crazy. He got hit on the head and he hasn't woken up since. There is a healer to be coming in the next few days, but I don't know if they will be able to help him, or if he'll be gone by then." The woman shook her head and wiped tears from her eyes.

"Can I hold his hand?" Kishi asked timidly. She never took her eyes from him. She was shocked by the voice in her mind ::The healer is being escorted by another herald from the north. They should be here in a day, let us hope he holds out that long.::

"Kaidan? Isn't there anything we can do?"

::Chosen, I am sorry healing is not of our gifts, and in his condition being unconscious is probably for the best until the healer arrives.::

::I didn't realize you could hear my thoughts still.::

::I will be able to hear you until you learn to put up a basic shield, which I will teach you on the way to Haven.::

Kishi held Jerod's hand. Oh how she wished that he would wake up and everything would be ok. His mother came over and handed her a blouse, "It may be too large for you, but it will cover you better than that shawl you have tied about you." Kishi untied the shawl and the bruises that covered her body made Jerod's mother suck in air through her teeth in a hissing sound. She went to get a wet rag to wipe off some of the scratches that covered Kishi's back. Kishi waited patiently while the woman dabbed a damp cloth to her back, cleaning dirt from the scratches on her back. She sucked in air and whimpered softly when the cloth came into contact with some particularly nasty cuts and bruises. "You need to take care of these cuts, else you will get the gangrene, child." Kishi sighed and pulled the loose blouse over herself, hiding the bruises and cuts. Kishi resumed her post beside Jerod, holding his hand. She eventually fell asleep on the foot of the bed.

Kishi awoke a while later, ::About time sleepy head:: Kaidan teased her gently. Kishi had a crink in her neck. She rolled her head around felt her neck pop. Then she realized she hadn't taken care of Mica or Kaidan, and she didn't know what time it was, since the window was now wood. Kishi's entire body was stiff. She winced as she moved her shoulders and sat up. Her back felt stiff as well from sleeping curled up on the foot of the bed, near Jerod. She stood slowly, and stretched a little before heading out the door. It was dark she realized when she entered the hall. She saw a little light coming from down stairs. She found Jerod's mother sitting at the table. Mica and her daughters were curled up on blankets over by the hearth. There was a pot over the hearth with stew in it most likely. The two heralds sat at the table talking with Jerod's mother.

"She will have to go to Collegium to be trained, but she can wait a little bit in order to get affairs in order here. Do you know if anyone else in her family survived? Her brother Zack was taken by the raiders."

"Her father is badly injured, they do not believe that he will survive. Her mother was killed during the raid on their farm. Mica and Kishi are the only ones left. She can't take Mica with her can she?"

"Well we would be able to find a place for him, but most of those he knows are here."

"His family is gone. I'm sure he'll want to stay with his sister. If their father should live, then I suppose the child will stay here. If he does not, then he should go with his sister. It is a shame. Jerod and her were very close, and her father and my husband had been discussing them getting engaged. She is of age now, and well, with this." Jerod's mother shook her head.

Kishi came down the last stairs, "My father is alive?! Where is he? I want to see him!" She rushed to the table her face pale with fear and hope.

"Child, please it's late. You can go to him in the morning." Nick tried to convince her. Kishi shook her head stubbornly, "He may be dead by morning! Where is he?" Met with silent awkwardness from both heralds, Kishi looked imploringly to Jerod's mother who finally spoke, "He's in the town square where they have the old inn being used as an infirmary, but the midwife won't let you in at this hour, child."

"I'm not a child anymore! I am going to my father!" Kishi did not wait for any to get up to stop her. She ran out of the house, pushing away the blanket door and heading out into the street barefoot. Kaidan spoke up finally ::Would you like a ride, you don't want to cut your feet to pieces do you?:: He came out of the black smith's barn at a trot and cut her off, ::Come on, you don't want to hurt yourself more do you?:: Kishi hopped up on a barrel and swung across to her companion's back. They trotted through the town, and Kishi swung down after reaching the inn's front door. She walked in through the door.

The midwife was tending to some injured. Kishi slipped in and quietly padded through the room. She took a few minutes to find her father. The inn keeper and a local shopkeeper saw her, but did not try to stop her. She finally found her father. He had his shoulder and chest wrapped. His nose had been broken and he had two black eyes, and he wore blood soaked bandages around his chest. Kishi knelt beside him and chocked back a sob. The chest wound must be awful to have such bloody bandages. She wanted to take away the bandages to see the damage for herself. She was terrified that if she did though she would cause more harm than good. The midwife came up beside her, "Kishi, he had a bad sword cut, we barely got the bleeding stopped. He has lost a lot of blood, and we will have to wait till the healer gets here to see what else can be done for him, if anything." Kishi nodded with tears welling up in her eyes. She took her father's right hand. "Da, can you hear me?" She felt silly, of course he couldn't, feeling self conscious she didn't want to talk out loud, then she thought of what Kaidan had told her earlier, she had powerful mind speech, so maybe she could make him hear her another way. She closed her eyes and prayed briefly, please gods let this work. Kishi called with her mind ::Da! I hope you can hear me. I was chosen Da! I have a companion, he saved me. His name is Kaidan. Mica is with us. Da, he needs you. Mica and I need you! Please, Da, don't die, we need you here.:: Tears were streaming down her face and she felt tired. She was beginning to get a headache. She continued through it all ::Da! I can talk with animals. That is why I always had so much luck with the animals.:: Kishi felt as if she had just ran three miles. Kaidan warned her, ::Kishi, be careful, you are exhausted and using your gift like this is making you more tired. We can't have you hurting yourself. Come now, let your father rest. He will make it through the night.::

::How do you know?!::

Kaidan replied ::Because I know, and you need to rest now. Come, we'll go back to where Aria and Nick are for the night.:: Kishi reluctantly let her father's hand rest beside him, and got up to leave. She swayed a little as she stood. She felt a hand steady her, and turned to see Aria behind her. She had followed Kishi to the inn. She offered a hug to Kishi. Kishi threw her arms around the herald, and tears fell from her eyes, like lava they spilled down her cheeks and burned them. She felt so lost. Her family was broken, and her brother missing. Her mother was dead, and her father was dying. She didn't know what she was going to do. She cried and cried in the herald's shoulder.

Aria felt awful for Kishi, to be chosen in such circumstances must almost kill the poor girl, her companion Leo spoke ::She is badly hurt, chosen. It will take her a long time to heal. The physical wounds will heal faster than the emotional scars she will carry with her.:: The herald stroked Kishi's hair and patted her comfortingly on the back. Kishi's legs sagged, as she cried out all of her emotions. She dropped to her knees and the herald sank with her to the floor. Aria stroked the girl's hair until the girl's sobs subsided, and she slept. The herald picked up Kishi and carried her back to the black smith's home. She carried the girl to where a bed had been made up with blankets for her. She laid her gently in the bed and tucked the blankets all around her. Aria was tired, and as she readied herself for bed. She pushed gently on Nick and made him move over in his own blankets, and he grumbled, "I didn't realize we'd be sharing a bed, and he tossed an arm over her."

"We're not, I gave my blankets to Kishi, so…" she picked up his arm and dropped it behind her "you have to share now." Nick smiled and tossed his arm back over her, "then you will just have to tolerate my cuddling." Aria sighed and closed her eyes to try and get some sleep.

The next morning Kishi awoke feeling stiff again. She found herself sleeping on the floor in a pile of blankets. Kaidan had poked his head through the blanket doorway and gently called her ::Kishi, chosen, I'm hungry wake up.:: Kishi groaned and rolled over, covering her head with her blankets. ::Chosen, there's a spider on your head.:: He joked with her. "Kaidan, shut up." ::Oh, now that is harsh. Don't you want to get up to greet the new day? If you hurry up we can visit you father today before we head back to your home, if you would like.:: This stirred Kishi. Though she was tired, she wanted to see her father, again. ::You know we will be making that trek from home to the inn everyday:: she replied to her companion. ::I had no doubt on that one, my heart.:: Kishi felt a little more relaxed that her companion wouldn't complain about that one. ::You don't mind carrying two do you? Mica and I?:: She queried. ::Of course not, he's not even to be counted as a second person, chosen. He weighs no more than one of our normal traveling packs.:: Kishi smiled. She got up and realized she had slept in the borrowed clothes she had gotten from Jerod's mother. She looked around, no one else was around. ::Where is everyone?:: She questioned Kaidan. ::They are making themselves useful, Aria and Nick are at the inn already helping with the wounded. Jerod's mother is helping one of the neighbors to clean up their home and board up the broken doors and windows there. Kishi nodded, and found that there was a pot of gruel on the fire still being kept warm by the embers. Kishi found an empty bowl sitting on the table and dished up some food for herself. She wandered upstairs to see Jerod. He was still unconscious. She sat and held his hand for a brief while and prayed to every god she had ever heard of for his recovery.

At around midday everyone came back to the house to find that Kishi had not only washed all of the dirty dishes from the morning, but she had spent a couple of hours cooking. She had found rabbit and some vegetables and had made a small roast. It wasn't a lot, but it was delicious. Nick joked with her, "Kishi if I asked you to marry me would you? Your cooking is amazing!" Kishi laughed, "No," she answered him with a fake dead pan face. Aria laughed at this, "Nick and I are both not that great at cooking. Who ever gets you for your intern year will be ecstatic," Aria grinned, "Heralds are not known for their cooking." Kishi smiled and her heart swelled with pride. Her mother had been a good cook, and she had taught her daughter well. At least that was something that Kishi would carry with her for her whole life.

In the afternoon, Mica and Kishi went to the inn to see their father. He was still unconscious, but he was not as pale as he had been the day before. He seemed to be getting better almost. He had a slight fever which worried both Kishi, and the midwife. It was late in the evening, but another herald and two healers came galloping into town. Both healers looked as if they had not slept in two or three days. They immediately began working on the most seriously injured. Kishi and her brother were chased out of the inn by the healers and midwife. Kishi went to Kaidan in his stall. She spent a lot of time that evening brushing and conversing with her companion. It was good bonding time for the both of them. Kishi could always feel her companion in the back of her mind, but she had not tried reaching out to other animals since the raid. She wondered if she still had her gift, or if it had gone away. She asked her companion this, ::Kaidan, why do I not feel other animals as I feel you all the time if I can communicate with them?::

::Because, my heart, you can communicate with them, you are not bonded to them with your very soul.::

::Could I bond with them?::

::I do not believe so, not the same bond we have. You can talk with them and communicate with them, and you can influence what they do, like as you did with the wolves that you had protect you during the raid. Or that horse you had help you and Jerod. You can communicate with them and because of that you can influence what they do. Any animal you communicate regularly with, you will be able to understand better and communicate better with. I think you should practice trying to talk with other animals. However, you also need to learn to shield, you have one you've already built out of instinct, but you need to make a proper one because as your gifts become more honed you will need it to be stronger than the one you currently have in place.::

::I have a shield in place now?::

::Yes, close your eyes I will show you.::

Kishi obeyed her companion, and she felt his mind pull her mind along. She could see herself as he saw her. She could see a thin white glow around herself. The thing looked tenuous even to her untrained eyes. Kaiden then showed her an image of Aria who had a thicker, brighter glow around her. Kishi knew without being told that this was a proper shield that she should have. Kaidan began to show her how to take down her shield, when she did she was inundated with "noise" of others thoughts and ideas around her, and she could hear thoughts that weren't as coherent as human thoughts, one thought that struck her with particular vehemence was that of a stray cat that was stalking a mouse. ::Dinner, food, stay still, stop twitching tail! Jump! Got it!::

Kaidan placed a shield about her, and the noise all but disappeared. He began instructing Kishi on how to build her own shield. She started by clearing her mind. Then she slowly bit by bit began to construct a barrier between her and the other noise that was there. Kaidan showed her again through his eyes, and sent her thoughts telling her how proud he was of her. She saw herself with a little bit stronger shield than the first one she had created. It was thicker and a little brighter than before. ::It is a start. We will keep working on it on the way to Haven.:: Kishi felt tired as if she had just worked in the field hoeing all day. Kaidan, laughed in her mind, ::You will be tired when we first begin a lot, chosen. Don't worry you will get stronger and it will be better.::

Kishi found that it was relatively late, and went inside to wash up. Everyone was back. The heralds were meeting in the kitchen with the herald that had escorted the two healers to Cordor. She heard Aria saying, "Well there is a lot to do here, it's almost harvest time, and two thirds of the men are injured or dead. The women will be the ones to bring in the harvest I fear, but I do not think it will be enough. The village and out laying farms will need a lot of help to rebuild this time. There was a lot damaged. You will be riding back to Haven and report to queen right?" she asked the new herald. Kishi came in and saw a plate sitting on the table with food. As she entered Nick greeted her, "Kishi! I hope that Kaidan wasn't working you too hard now, was he?" Kishi shook her head. She looked at the plate of food hopefully as her stomach let out a loud grumble, "Is that for me?" Aria grinned, "You aren't hungry are you?" Kishi nodded, "I'm famished." She sat down, and began heaping food into her mouth while the heralds continued their conversation. ::Kaidan who is this new herald? What is his name?::

::He is Joshua, he's not on circuit, he is a messenger. He goes to places at the direct command of the Queen to find out information and send news. His companion is Miranda. She is very beautiful:: Kishi could here the affection in his voice, and blushed, ::Kaidan stop it!::

::Oh chosen, just wait till you're older and you have your romantic tristes!::

::I am not going to. I will get married before I do anything of the sort.::

::Prude.::

::Well at least I'm not some cad like you!:: Kishi could hear her companion laughing uproariously at her. Kishi looked up and realized the other heralds were looking strangely at her. "What?" They were still staring at her, and she began to feel embarrassed and flustered, "What?"

"She doesn't even realize she's doing it does she?" Joshua said

"Nope," Aria said.

"Well we need to teach her how not to I think," Nick said, "otherwise she'll be driving half the heralds and herald trainees nuts at Haven. Hells, maybe even all of Haven."

"What!?" Kishi demanded.

"We can hear you when you get emotional when you are talking to your companion. Hell we heard you when you called on the animals to attack those raiders. We heard you when you called for help. You have a very powerful mind speech ability, in that you can send messages a long ways just by using your emotion and your mind. It's really a useful skill especially for heralds who are out on the borders for circuits. However, the drawback is, right now, with no training you are basically shouting with your mind. Everyone can hear you. Even though they have shields." Kishi's jaw dropped, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…Kaidan didn't say. How do I stop it?"

"Well with training, luckily Aria here has mind speech as a gift, and she can help you control it a little better," Nick replied.

"Well we will make sure you aren't shouting at anyone who can hear you within arms reach," Aria grinned. Kishi couldn't smile. She felt completely ashamed. She was mad at Kaidan for not telling her. She felt like some sort of freak. No wonder she hadn't be able to really communicate with animals either right now, it was because they were drowned out or afraid of her because she was "shouting" at them. Suddenly a new voice sounded in her mind, it was that of Aria's, ::Don't be upset, we mind speakers all went through this at first. You will learn and you will be fine. Don't be so hard on yourself, Kishi, you've already been through a lot.:: The herald smiled a knowing smile to the girl as Kishi sat at the table messing with the food on her plate. Kishi nodded. She felt a little better at that reassurance and finished her food in front of her. She excused herself and climbed into her blankets.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: see chap 1.

AN: Hey all sorry this took so long. Grad school started up again, and my adviser is on my butt about my research. I will continue to edit and post this story till it's done, but I will most likely be slower, so sorry for that. Hope you enjoy this next bit! Also thanks to those of you who left comments before, you guys help to inspire me.

~Tanka

Kishi and Mica were cantering down the old trail that led to their home. Kishi had traveled the trail plenty of times, but this time it felt strange. Kaidan had a super smooth gait that made it easy for both kids to ride him. They covered the miles between the town and the farm quickly. It took less than half the time that it did on a market day with Jessi. Kishi loved the feel of riding on top of her companion. She could not help but smile as the wind blew her hair back, and she felt like she was flying. As they came upon their home, Kishi went from smiling and carefree to nervous and tense. As they rounded a bend and could see the house and barn, and she saw both were still standing she let loose a slight sigh of relief. Mica said, "Look, Kishi! Our house is still there! Last time it wasn't, remember." Kishi did remember, but she was worried about what was there and how much damage there was. As they got closer she saw Jessi milling about the house grazing with two of the cows and half of a dozen of sheep. They were alive! Kishi's heart soared with happiness. Kishi's smile faded as they got closer to the farmstead. She saw the door to the house was broken down. She also saw a fresh grave with a small stones over top of it, and she saw a pile of ash and bones that she suspected were the remains of the dead raiders that attacked. So her father must have killed one or two before they killed her mother, or after in rage. She swung down from Kaidan's back and walked over to the grave. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away. This was no time to get emotional, especially with Mica here. She turned to look at her companion and little brother. Mica was crying, and huge drops of tears poured down his cheeks and dripped on the companion's mane and saddle. Kishi went to her brother and pulled him down off of Kaidan's back, and hugged him close as the boy cried. ::_Kaidan can you watch him while I scout around?_:: The companion nodded his head. Kishi looked back at her mother's grave and knelt in the dirt. She prayed that her mother was in a better place. Then she stood up and walked towards the barn. The fence around the barn was busted down in two places. She would have to fix it. She wondered how bad her father's field was damaged. Then she thought of her mother's garden. She saw a couple chickens sitting in front of the door of the house and one ran into the house as she approached. She expected things to be bad inside the house, she was not expecting what she found. As she walked into the home she could smell rotting meat and burnt food. She wandered into the kitchen. She saw the pot that had been holding stew for the day had been spilled onto the floor. The meat and vegetables were rotting on the floor. A chicken pecked at bits of it. The floor was stained where the soup had spilled. Kishi shook her head and tried to mind speak to the chicken, ::Hey, that's probably not very good for you. You should not eat it.:: All she got back from the chicken was a quizzical look with the thoughts ::Food. It is safe. It tastes good.:: Kishi cocked her head and looked at the chicken, then shrugged and walked off when it began eating the rotting food bits. Kishi began to wander through the rest of the house. It was not a large house, but as she wandered back into the entrance hall. She found her mother's new blue vase shattered on the ground. The table was broken apart. She headed up the stairs almost dreading what she would find. There were three small bedrooms upstairs with closets her father had built himself. She went to her room first to see what she could salvage. The rings and necklaces her father had given her had been in a small box on her dresser which now was on the floor broken all the jewelry was gone. Her clothes were scattered about and some of the nicer ones were gone. Her favorite skirt of brown cotton was gone. She sighed and began to pick things up, folding as she went. She heard a noise down stairs and she raced back to the stairs and flew down them with terrifying speed thinking to catch a looter or something. Instead she found Mica in the door way with Kaidan. ::He wanted to come to the house, and in case you have not noticed, my heart, I do not have any hands to stop him.:: Her companion mind spoke to her ruefully with a hint of exasperation. Kishi shook her head and smiled. "No harm, Kaidan, I was just going through my room to see what was left. I have some clothes," to her brother, "Mica why don't you help me pick up what is left upstairs. Hopefully they left some clothes for you too. We can change and you need a bathe any how, child, you are dirt from head to toe." She ruffled her brother's hair lovingly. The two headed upstairs with her companion snorting at her, ::Well I'll just stay here wearing all my tack with nothing to do then.:: Kishi turned on the stair, "Oh sorry, do you want me to untack you? I can. We'll probably be here most of the day I guess I should, huh? Sorry, Kaidan." The companion sighed, ::It's ok chosen you're still learning.:: Kishi told Mica to go on and sort out what he could of his. She went back down and took Kaidan to the barn. Jessi followed them, and could not help but prattle away at Kishi. ::The men came and they yelled and killed one of the cows. I did not like their smell and I ran like you said. I ran and ran until I was hidden in the trees. The trees protected me. I am happy you told me to run, my mare. I came back because I thought you may be here to give me the tasty grain, but you were not and there was no water, but two other cows came back and they brought the sheep. We stayed together and went to the river to drink. It was the best water ever!:: Kishi let the pony go on and on. She never realized how much an animal had to say. Though his thoughts weren't the same as a formal sentence or human thoughts, he did well to communicate with her in images and thoughts.

Kishi untacked Kaidan and groomed him clean. Then she began brushing Jessi. What would happen to the pony now that she had to go to Collegium, she wondered to herself. And what of the farmstead? Kishi sighed, she was worried about what would happen to her home. Her father had a long time to recover from his grievous wounds. Her mother was gone, and so was her brother Zack. The farm was her's now and her responsibility. Kishi realized the cows needed milking. Their udders were full and the cows complained of how uncomfortable they were. So, instead of going in the house she found a stool and a bucket and began to milk the cows out. It took her a couple of hours. By that time Mica came searching for her. He was complaining he was hungry and thirsty. Kishi dug in the packs that she had brought with her on Kaidan's saddle. She found some fruit and bread in them. She gave some to her brother. Then she wandered to the house to see if she could find an unbroken cup. When she found one, she came back to the barn and the two of them drank their fill of milk, and water from her waterskin, and ate.

Kishi shared her worries with her companion and he patiently explained that they could remain here for as long as needed in order to get the farmstead affairs sorted. Mica was too young, but if need be he could come to Collegium, and they would find a place for him. He could ride Jessi to Haven, and Jessi would be his pony. They tried to figure out what they would do with everything. They came up with some ideas, but none that made Kishi completely happy. She felt like she had at least accomplished a few things. She knew that her neighbors would help her if need be, but they had their own problems that they would have to deal with as well, she was sure they had lost loved ones. She was sure they had lost animals and crops as well. They may not be able to help either due to illness or injuries or lack of resources. She was nervous, but felt as if she had sorted out of few things. They would not spend the night, and would go back to stay with Jerod's mother and his sisters.

Kishi and her brother headed back into the house to finish picking up. Her brother had done a great job picking up his and Zack's old room. He had found his cloth companion. It was missing an eye, but the grin on his face as he carried the thing from room to room made his sister smile. The youngster was easy to please. Kishi went ahead and had him help her pick up her room. As they were picking up clothes and folding them Kishi found something she did not expect to find. She found with her wooden horse carving and laying beside it was her grandmother's blue ring. She picked up both items and held them one in each hand staring in disbelief. Kishi was in shock, such so that she felt the need to sit down. A gift from the gods, for this was all these could be. A ring from her mother's mother, and the horse from her father. She hugged both items to her chest and tears filled her eyes. All of the anguish she had felt at losing so much of her life the past week suddenly seemed bearable again. To have two such treasures showed that there was compassion in the world from the gods. She wiped her eyes, and smiled. She picked up the rest of her room and cleaned up broken glass from the lamp that had sat next to her bed. The oil had soaked into the wood leaving a dark stain that would remain forever.

After cleaning up both her brothers' room and her own of any glass, and sweeping up the dirt and filth that had accumulated the past week, the two children walked tentatively to their parent's room. Kishi reached nervously for the door. It was slightly ajar, and as she opened the door, it was evident that their parents' room had been sacked just as theirs had. She and her brother began to pick up the clothes strewn about. Nothing of value had been left. Kishi found lying in a heap in the back of the closet some fabric. As she lifted it out she realized it was her mother's old wedding dress. The fabric was of a soft imported satin that her mother's family had spent a small fortune to get. It was soft to the touch, and had a slight sheen to it. How the raider's had missed it was naught but a miracle. Kishi felt tears in her eyes again, and she gently rehung the dress in the closet. She shook her head in wonderment at the things that the raider's had left. The dress would be Kishi's she knew, but she did not feel right taking it from the closet yet. Kishi had only seen the dress one time before when she was ten years old. Her mother had shown it to her, when Kishi had made the statement that she would never marry a man because they were all mean. This was after a particularly nasty incident with the neighbor's son who had beaten her up and thrown rocks at her. This was after Kishi had punched him because he called her a name. Her mother had hoped to share the beauty of the dress with her daughter to help change her mind on marriage. Kishi had been amazed by the beautiful dress. She was amazed now at the luck of her family. They had not lost as much as Kishi had feared they had. They may be able to make it through the winter with less help than she originally thought.

Kishi and her brother put the animals away for the evening and headed back to the village of Cordor. Kishi was met by Herald Nick about half way to the village. He had started out to check on the children. As they rode back to the village the newly chosen and herald struck up a conversation.

"Nick, did you always want to be chosen and have a companion?" Kishi queried the older man.

"No, I had when I was young. I think every child in Valdemar dreams of it." He looked over at Mica who was carrying his cloth companion. He smiled, "Like that one there, he will believe that is his companion, just like his sister's companion." He winked at her, and to Mica asked, "What is your companion's name boy?"

"Her name is Jada! Isn't she pretty?"

"She is beautiful, but kind of small for a companion eh?"

"She is just young, she'll get bigger like me!"

The herald laughed and so did Kishi. Oh the faith of the young.

"Are you unhappy being chosen? I know it is hard in a situation such as this, but it does get better. And the advantage is you're never alone again. You always have your companion, even when she is a royal pain in the behind." Kyra pinned her ears in mock fury and bucked a little "to show her chosen who was boss". Both Kishi and Mica laughed as Nick grabbed the saddle to keep from losing his balance. "Brat!" he growled at his companion, "Honestly, you have no sense of humor, Kyra." The companion snorted in reply.

"What is Collegium like?" Kishi asked after everyone had settled down.

"Well it is just schooling. You attend classes on different topics, like strategy, weapons, fighting, riding, and of course writing and reading and basic figuring. You will cover information about the history of Valdemar too. So, like the schooling here but more in depth. It is supposed to help you in the field, but some does, and some doesn't. You attend classes with Herald trainees, bard trainees, and healer trainees. Each wears a different color. Bards are a rust red, healers are a light green, and heralds wear gray. You'll also see the blues. They are children of people at court who are wealthy. They send their kids to Collegium to learn. Be careful of the blues because not all of them like heralds, especially ones like us who come from nothing and the border. They think they are better than us."

Kaidan interjected, ::They are not, and I'll sit on them if they give you any troubles.::

At that Kishi burst out laughing. Mica and Nick looked at her, and she relayed what Kaidan had said. Nick smiled and shook his head, "I wish Kyra had felt that way."

The companions reached the town gate at sunset. They ate and rested. Kishi made a visit to the inn to see her father with Mica. He was still weak and asleep. The midwife said that he had awoke earlier and asked for Kishi. Kishi sat beside her father and held his hand for about and hour. The entire time she sent mind calls to her father. Telling him of what she had found at the farm. That he needed to get better so he could go home. She tiredly trudged back to the house to sleep. She rose early the next day. She helped to clean and cook in Jerod's home with his mother. She then packed up lunch and called for Mica, and the three headed back to the farm. She cared for the animals first, and then the two children resumed cleaning the house. Kishi knew she would need help replacing the fences for the animals, but she knew that they would not wander off from the farm as long as she was there to call them back. So, she released them all to wander about the farm and graze to their liking. Kishi found some boards in the barn and used them to replace the window that she found broken out. She and her brother worked together to get the doors removed from the house that had been broken and in it's place the two fashioned at the direction of Kaidan a new thinner door from the boards in the barn. They had experience come the second one, and it looked better. Kishi had many splinters and bruises by the end of the day. They returned back to town again. Following the same routine as the day before. The next day was much of the same. The third day she sought out Nick before she headed to the farm. She found him and Kyra helping to remove a wall from a burned out building. They had ropes lashed to it and were slowly and carefully pulling it down. Kishi made sure she and Mica were far away from the work to not cause any problems. Kishi explained, "Nick I need some help at our home. There are some fences that need to be fixed and I don't know how to cut boards. It was something my father always did with my brothers. Mica was too young." The herald wiped sweat from his brow and dirt streaked his whites. He nodded his understanding, "So you're saying you need a strong, handsome man to come help you, eh?" He winked at her, "See if you married me then I would take care of you with things like this, and you could cook me the most amazing food." Kaidan said to her slyly, ::He would not be able to fix things because he'd be too fat from eating your good cooking.:: Kishi laughed and told Nick what Kaidan had said. Kyra stood nearby nodding her head in agreement. She must have been laughing at him because Nick turned to his companion and said, "Shut it, you!"

The group headed out to the farm, and were surprised to find a couple of the neighbors already at the farm. They had already cut the boards and were fixing them in place when Kishi arrived. They had milked the cows and let them out to wander around the farmstead, and had one of the boys watching them. "We heard you children were cleaning up the place for your da, and we thought it wouldn't be right when yer da helped us so much after the raids a few years ago, and we did nothing to help ye." Kishi smiled and thanked them. They would never know how much relief she felt. Kishi decided that they would stay there that night, as the animals needed more attention, and she was needing to work the garden and field the next day to see what she could salvage. She sent Mica back to Cordor with Nick, but was surprised a couple hours later when a companion and herald returned down the same path she had seen the first disappear with her brother. She worried at first that something had happened, which Kaidan immediately dispelled. ::I would let you know if something had gone wrong. Companions are linked similarly to how you and I are. We can speak to one another and know what is happening. Do not worry, my heart, your brother is safe and eating.:: It was Aria and Leo came cantering down the trail. Kishi waved a greeting to the two. She would not be staying alone tonight in the house, which gave her some comfort.

Aria decided that now was as good as any to start training the young chosen in how to control her mind speech so she wasn't shouting at people anymore. They spent the rest of the evening working on building Kishi's shield. Aria also began to teach her how to direct her thoughts. Kishi complained at the end of the lesson, "I have to think so much about thinking! How does anyone manage this!" She rubbed her aching head and wiped frustrated tears from her eyes. Aria comforted her, "It's all right child. Eventually it becomes second nature, and you will not have to think about it anymore. It does get easier, and you will not be as tired. It just takes practice." The gentle herald patted her shoulder in a comforting manner. Both ate simple meals and slept hard that night. Kishi woke at dawn the next day as the sun hit her in the eyes from her open window. A gentle breeze smelling of flowers floated through the window and called to her. She sat up and wandered out to greet the dawn wearing just a blouse and simple breeches. She knew today she had to go to the field to try and save what she could, and rid it of as many weeds as possible. She found a pair of hide gloves and her father's hoe in the barn. She wandered to the field as the sun showed its full self over the horizon. She smiled in its warmth and shivered slightly with the cool breeze. The air smelled fresh and she felt happy to be there. She released the animals to graze about the farm stead and warned them to steer clear of the garden. She happily went to work hacking down the weeds in the field. After two hours she was covered head to toe in sweat and dirt. Wisps of hair fell into her eyes, and she cursed as she tried to hack the weeds. It was harder work than she had first thought. She had only managed to do two rows no less. She felt like such a failure, and wondered how her da and brother managed in the past few years. Her arms ached, and about two hours after that she headed back to the house. Kishi staggered through the door. She slumped down in one of the chairs that were left. Aria had been working in the garden. She had brought in some vegetables and herbs. She had also cooked a meal. Kishi was almost too tired to eat, but still gobbled up what was put before her almost without tasting it.

Kishi relaxed for a bit. When she stood up she groaned in pain. Her arms ached and her back was stiff. She stretched and groaned again. ::You sound like you are having fun, chosen.:: Kishi growled at him, ::Shut it, it is NOT funny.:: She could hear his laughter in her head. Aria shook her head, "Kishi, you do not have to go back out to the fields today. You have already done a lot." Kishi shook her head, "I have to get at least four rows done. We need to have at least half of the field in for harvest, or we will not be able to feed the animals. As it is we will not have any extra to sell this winter, so we will have to hunt, and rely on selling milk. Thankfully, they left most of our clothes, but I will have to mend them. I don't know when I will be able to travel back to Haven. I need to help my da, probably through the winter. Mica will have to start taking care of the sheep, he is young, but he will be fine as long as he has Jessi." Kishi was more talking to her self than to Aria. She was trying to plan out the rest of the year. Aria was thinking and talking with Leo about the situation. How could they help Kishi? She would need to go to Collegium before winter. She needed to start being trained. They would spend the rest of the day trying to sort out how they would resolve the issues at hand of Kishi and her family. She sent a message to Nick through Leo and Kyra. The companions were tasked with the job to try and figure out something by sunset.

The next few days were much of the same as before. Kishi and Aria made regular treks to town during the afternoons to visit Kishi's father and Jerod. On the fourth day her father was laying awake. He was getting better. Now if only Jerod would as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer see chapter 1

AN: Wow, 2 chapters in one night! I am amazing, but as I stated in my previous disclaimer, I super busy, so these will tend to come more slowly now. Enjoy!

Kishi cantered down the straight road along side Herald Nick. The sun was shining, but there was a definite nip in the air. Harvest time was coming, and though she had had to leave she knew that her brother Mica and father were in good hands. The heralds had arranged to have a group of three volunteers from the guard to assist her family in making it through the winter, and the queen had agreed to pay them and provide food for them, due to her family's limited resources. They would assist with bringing in the harvest, making repairs, and assisting her father in whatever he needed. His body was beginning the long slow process of healing. His arm was still in a sling and even all the work the healers had done on him, his body was taking a long time to heal. Kishi blamed it on the fact that his heart was broken. He had watched completely helpless as his wife had been murdered before him. His children had been taken, but only two returned to him. He was depressed, and now Kishi was leaving him to go off to Haven to be a Herald. While the man was extremely proud of his only daughter, it was hard letting her go. Kaidan had even spoken to the man and assured him that everything would be all right. His daughter would be safe. Kishi had packed some clothes for the trip, and they had packed food. It would take a few days to get to Haven, and they would be staying at waystations along the way. There would be a few villages too. Kishi had never been outside of Cordor and the surrounding farming community. Her eyes were bright and she wiggled in the saddle trying to see everything around her, much to Kaidan's chagrin.

By sunset the four of them reached the first waystation on their way towards Haven. Aria had spent the past three weeks training Kishi to not mind shout at those around her. She had been practicing with Jessi and Kaidan on speaking with animals. When she saw wild animals on the trail she would also try to converse with them. Many seemed surprised to have her try and talk with them. Some were afraid of her, and others were so excited to have found something new and interesting that they chatted her ears off. There was a particularly gossipy flock of sparrows that chose to follow her and Kaidan about half of the day, until she was exasperated and told them blatantly to shut their beaks. Kaidan laughed at her. She had been practicing with Kaidan most nights on building up her shield. It got to the point that her shield was as strong as a normal trainee now. She felt blessed to have such an amazing companion and good friends who took their time and energy to teach her what she needed to know.

Kishi and Nick dismounted upon arrival at the waystation. They first spent time untacking and grooming their companions. Then Nick went inside to start the fire and Kishi unpacked the food they had brought, and the dried herbs she had delicately wrapped in her packs. She had packed some loose clothes to sleep in, but had never thought that she would be sharing space with a man. She felt shy and awkward, especially since she considered Nick like a mentor and teacher. Nick was maybe ten years older than Kishi around twenty-five or six, but for Kishi that was a considerable age difference. She spent time fixing a stew with their dried meat and a few veggies they had brought with them. They found some cups and plates in the cupboards. They also found some molasses and sweet syrup for gruel in the morning if they so desired. Kishi and Nick sat inside the small cabin and ate in relative silence before the fire, allowing it to warm their feet.

The next few days the herald and trainee traveled towards Haven. They stopped and stayed in an inn in Kettlesmith. While they were there, Nick and Kyra were approached by the townspeople to settle a few disputes, which Kishi sat on the sides to observe. Normally a newly chosen would travel on their own, but Nick was going to return to Haven to report directly to Queen Selenay. Kishi would also be speaking with her about the incident to give a first hand account of how the raiders worked. Kishi was terrified by this, but with Kaidan's constant reassurance, she felt better. Kishi heard a voice in her mind that was not Kaidan, ::No! It hurts! Stop! I didn't mean…Ow!:: Kishi stood and began to follow the voice in her mind. It tugged at her heart strings and she did not notice that Nick had stopped talking to those he was trying to pass judgment for and watched her go. A quick pardon, he stood and followed Kishi. Kishi walked down the street, and then began to jog, and with the creature's pleas filling her head Kishi sped up to a run. She raced down an alley and around a corner to see a young man beating a young dog. The dog lay whimpering and cowering against a wall, as the man kicking him repeatedly cursing him. Kishi raced forward and knocked the man down, he did not have a hope to even protect himself because she approached so quietly, he never heard her running towards him until he was struck from behind and knocked to the ground flat on his face. Kishi raced to the dog's side. The dog lay whimpering, and bleeding from multiple places. Blood dripped from its mouth and nose. Kishi was so terrified it was dying and she began to cry. She could feel the animal's fear and pain. She did not know how to help him, but she was so completely absorbed with helping the dog that she did not hear the man come at her. Nick was between them and wrestled the man to the ground. He pulled back and punched him full force knocking the man silly. Kishi reached down and touched the dog, and spoke as softly to him as she could, ::I am a friend, you are safe. I will help you.:: Tears flowed down her cheeks. She stroked the battered animal's fur. The dog whimpered. ::What are you called?:: She whispered to his mind, trying to get the animal to focus on something other than the pain. ::No one calls me anything, he called me Wretch or Beast.:: Kishi shook her head, ::That is not a proper name for a such a kind heart. What would you like to be called?:: She was greeted with only silence. The dog opened its one eye and looked up at her. It had stopped shaking. She was vaguely aware now of the people around her. Nick was still holding the guy who had been kicking the dog on the ground. Kishi looked at him, he was probably about Nick's age, and his left eye was already starting to turn purple and puffy. Kishi approached both men and demanded, "Why were you hurting him?" The man's words slurred together and did not come out sounding like words, but more of like a groan. Kishi shouted, "Why did you hurt him!?" The man winced at the sharpness in her voice and its loudness. However, he answered this time more coherently, "Damn animal. He let my house be broke into." Kishi turned to the dog, ::Did you understand you were supposed to protect the house?:: The dog hung its head and clenched its tail between its legs answering shamefully, ::Yes, but the man gave me food, and I was hungry. I had no food for many suns, I felt like I would die if I do not eat. He gave me food, and I was so hungry...I did not know he was bad. I would have bit him if I knew he was bad.::

Kishi saw how weak and skinny the dog was. She shook her head, she would not leave it with this horrible person to keep mistreating it. She would let Nick deal with the issue of the house being broken into, but she would take care of the animal. It needed it. ::I will call you…:: Kishi thought and thought for a name finally Kaidan supplied one for her ::Jed.:: Kishi nodded in agreement, and though he now had a name, it would not heal the dog's injuries. Kishi was careful when picking him up. He whimpered and groaned in her mind. Kishi figured on top of being malnourished he was also suffering from some broken ribs. She carried the animal back to where her and Nick were staying. She headed to the stable where Kaidan was. She laid him in the straw next to the companion and fetched a bowl from the kitchen to feed and water the animal. She knew he would eat too much and get sick, so she gave just a little of the scraps she had gotten from the cook in the kitchen when she fetched the bowl. Kishi sat next to him while he ate and drank. She did not bother him and he did not say anything to her. He lay in the straw and his breathing was labored. He curled up and lay down his head. His eyes seemed sad. Kishi could tell he was not well. She tried to coax a few thoughts from him, ::Jed, will you be ok? Are you feeling better? Do you need a blanket?:: The dog was quiet for a few moments, ::I hurt. I am warm, and I am full. Thanks.:: It seemed to take a lot of energy for him to even speak to her. Kishi confided with Kaidan who stood guarding the two. ::Do you think he will make it?::

::I do not know, Chosen, his spirit is broken, I think.::

::Is there anything else I can do for him? Do you think a healer would help?::

::For his broken ribs, maybe, but they would have to have experience with animals.::

::Are there any here?::

::A midwife only, but she may have some herbs to help him.::

Kishi sat and stroked the dog's brown and white coat. His fur was soft, and Jed closed his eyes and seemed contented a little. He was loved and that is all any dog really wants. Nick found her still there almost three candle marks after she had disappeared with the dog. Jed slept soundly. Kishi rested in the corner laying up against Kaidan who lay in the stall. Kishi used her companion as a pillow, and her eyes were closed, but she heard Nick enter and said to him, "He's sleeping, I do not know how to heal, but he has broken ribs. He needs a healer, and even then I do not know if he will make it. Kaidan thinks his spirit is broken." Kishi slowly opened her eyes which were puffy and red from tears. She hated to lose an animal in her care, especially since she knew how much pain Jed was in, and she wanted nothing more than to make it go away.

Kishi and Nick went into the inn where they were staying to eat supper. Just before sunset the midwife came to the inn to meet them. They had sent a young boy to find her. Kishi explained the problem, and the midwife nodded. Apparently it was common knowledge that the man had killed the last dog he had by beating it. This one was new to him, and he had only had him for about one month. Kishi shook her head. He had obviously not fed it maybe only once or twice the past month. He wanted the dog to guard his home, but he left it starving to the point that it was too weak, that even if it wanted to fight someone, it would be killed because it would have no strength. Taking the midwife to the dog in the stables, Kishi led the way to Kaidan's stall. They found the dog sitting up and panting. Kishi brought him some more water. His breathing was still labored from the broken ribs. The midwife checking him all over, and Kishi explained to him what the woman was doing. ::Do not worry, friend, she is here to help you. She is going to see if she has anything she can give you to ease the pain. There are no healers, so no one to mend the bones that are broken, and for that I am sorry, Jed.:: Jed wagged his tail slowly and grinned up at Kishi ::You have helped more than anyone ever has. Thank you.:: The dog's appreciative reply made Kishi smile. The midwife had some herbs that would help ease his pain, but they had to be steeped in hot water for tea and then poured into cool water. Kishi spent some time coaxing Jed to drink all of the concoction. Kishi watched happily as Jed curled up in Kaidan's stall in much less pain. Normally, the Herald and she would be heading on for the next day, but Kishi insisted that they stay there to care for Jed at least one more day. She did not want all of her hard work to be for naught. What would Jed do when Kishi left? She would have to find a safe place for him to live, if he lived. The midwife and Nick were both worried that his rib had punctured his lung, which was the reason for the blood and heavy breathing, but they would have to wait until morning to see where they were at with the dog. Kishi would have stayed in Kaidan's stall had Nick not been there to force her to go back up to her room in the inn. As it was she was awake before dawn and snuck down to the stable. The stable boy was asleep in the loft, and she could hear his snoring. She could not help but giggle a little at it. She slipped back to Kaidan's stall, and Jed was awake, but he was not doing better. He had thrown up a couple of times, and when he had gone to the bathroom there was blood in it. Kishi winced at the sight, and she knew in her heart that the poor animal would not last the week, if even the day. Kishi felt tears come her eyes, ::Jed! I'm so very sorry!:: She leaned down and hugged the dog. He licked her cheek and reassured her, ::Kishi, you have made me feel comfortable. I love you for that.:: Kishi began to cry, "I love you too. I don't want to lose you. If I could heal you, I would. I'm sorry I can't do more." Kishi sat beside Jed for the rest of the day. The innkeeper brought her breakfast there, after being told by the stable boy that she was there. He shook his head, "He's just a dog, miss. He's just an animal, and animals live and die every day. Would you try to save every single one?" Kishi looked up at him, and without thinking answer, "Yes, because even if they are not humans they are from our country and we have a duty to them just as we do to people to protect and care for them. Just because they do not think as we do, and they do not speak as we do, does not mean they are less than us."

"Child you grew up on the border, your da raised you to care for yer animals no doubt, but is a dog like this one, is it worth as yer Herald Nick?" Kishi had no answer for this. She wanted to say yes, but was he really worth Nick's life for Jed's life. Kaidan assured her, ::This is something you will learn while in Collegium, each herald has a unique gift, and your's is more unique than most. They will have a hard time training you on the ethics of your gift, at least the animal speech part. Your mind speech is strong and there have been others who are just as strong, but speaking with animals is useful in some cases, but you will have to determine if it is ok to let an animal die over a friend most likely. It is a tough choice, but one that may need to be made. Do not worry, chosen, I would not have picked you if you did not have the heart to make the right choices.:: Kishi hugged her companion silently thanking him for his words of wisdom, she knew he was right, but that did not mean that she did not doubt herself still. Kishi sat with Jed all day, and his state deteriorated greatly. The sweet dog passed away shortly before midnight. Kishi sat holding his head in her lap and tears streaming down her face silently, as she said goodbye to her new friend. Nick had dealt with the man who had beat the dog to death. The laws of Valdemar would not allow the man to be punished for killing an animal that belonged to him. However, Nick had put in no uncertain terms that his attempted attack of a herald trainee would not be tolerated and that if he tried any retaliation that he would not survive. Nick stayed with Kishi from supper till Jed's death.

The midwife allowed them to bury the dog the next morning near her home, and the group headed onwards towards Haven. Kishi rode in silence the entirety of the next day and was near inconsolable, even by her companion. Nick and Lyra conferred most of the day about the girl's current state and how to best handle it. It was her first real use of her power, other than on the raiders. The attack of the raiders was more instinct than any thing that Kishi focused and did herself. So, this was a difficult blow to her self-esteem and her confidence. Kishi cried on and off all day. She let the tears stream down her face and drip to her arms or on her saddle or Kaidan's back and neck. The companion tried to lighten her mood to no avail by joking with her, ::You're going to give my pretty saddle water damage and you will have to spend the next three weeks cleaning it.:: When that did not work he tried a little later down the road, ::People have never seen such a face on a newly chosen, they will think that I am the worst companion in the world.:: Kishi did not even respond to that. That evening the Herald and herald trainee stopped at a waystation. Kishi went through the routine in complete silence. She went through grooming, feeding, and unpacking in complete silence. Nick was quiet, but he finally just made his mind up to talk to her. She would have to answer at some point. So, he began, smiling a little at her, "What do you think of traveling so far north?" No reply.

"Did you see that stag on the trail today? Did he have anything interesting to say?"

Silence.

Nick sighed, well she was not making this easy, so he might as well share a story with her, maybe it might make her reply.

"Young one, I'm going to share a story with you. You can take it as you will, but I think you should hear this." He launched into his tale. "I was not much older than you, when I was chosen. I come from a village near Haven, to the West. My father was shop owner and we sold some of the nicest carved pieces in all of Valdemar. I do not know if you have heard of our work in the south, but we are well known among the elite of Haven. I was being trained in carving and in how to handle the family business. I was supposed to inherit it. Obviously that is not the case anymore. I was one of five children. I was the first and a boy. My next sibling is my brother Melvin. He is not that great at carving, but my sister, Heda, her husband has a gift from the gods, and he is the best craftsman I have ever met. I digress though…Melvin was terribly jealous of me being chosen, of course. I spent a few days at home with my family after being chosen. Lyra stayed in our friend's stable. I visited her at least five times a day. I believe she got annoyed with me coming to make sure she was still there." His companion nodded her head enthusiastically in agreement. Kishi was listening, but she did not smile or laugh. Nick continued on, "Anyhow…What I did not know was that on the second day, Melvin my brother went to Lyra here. He demanded to know why he was not chosen. Why he could not be a herald. Lyra of course told him why, but it broke his heart in some ways. Every child in Valdemar who has grown up knowing the tales and songs of heralds dream of becoming one. For a long time after that he would not speak to me because of what Lyra told him. It took him a long time to unharden his heart towards my companion and me." Kishi did not react at all to his story thus far though he did not expect her to, so he continued on persistently and grinned. "How did I get him to accept us, you ask? Well my gift as you may have guessed is foresight. I am granted the ability to see things that will happen sometimes. Well at one point I saw my brother being held for ransom, and I managed to get leave from the Queen to go to him and my family. Unfortunately, he was taken before I got there. However, my gift gave me a head start and showed me who was behind the abduction. Lyra and I went blazing in sword drawn, like some sort of maniac. I got this." Nick pulled up his sleeve on his left arm to show a long jagged scar down his forearm. Kishi glanced at it, winced and went back to pointedly ignoring him. Nick sighed, well he was getting some where, so he continued on. "I fought four guards, and three other men. By the time I reached my brother who was being held in chained in the cellar of a local lord's house, not only was I bleeding. I was so exhausted that I tripped and fell on my face in front of him. He was extremely grateful for my rescuing him, but he also never lets me live it down that in my finest, shining moment, I was too tired to even enjoy it. After I got him unchained, he half carried me up and out of the cellar, where I would have died due to blood loss. Covered in blood and dirt and filth, my brother realized that the life of a herald was a hard life, and not something he would ever want compared with his soft living. He really just manages our family's business and does not lift a finger. He saw how difficult my life must be, and he was glad he did not have it. He told me so after I woke up after sleeping for three full days." Nick laughed, "He still does not let me live it down how dirty and clumsy I was when I saved him. It really put things in perspective though, for him at least. That is all we can hope to have you know in this life, is a decent perspective of how we see life. Okay, trainee?"

The only indication that Kishi gave that she had listened to any of his story, was her silent nodding in agreement at the end. She had listened, and maybe she would see that in the grand scheme of things she was only a small part, and maybe she would realize that everything happens for a reason. At least he hoped that is what she took away from it, and not the fact that heralds were always dumb and charging into danger head long without any help. She would grow, learn, and see eventually though. He just wanted to relieve some of the tension of the encampment right now, and it would be helpful if she would talk.

After supper and cleaning up the dishes in the tub at the waystation, Kishi sat in front of the fire wrapped in a blanket. She stared into the flames, which leaped and danced before her eyes. Nick sat there humming a tune, that Kishi recognized. It was the song that her and Jerod had sang together for the retired bard. She wondered what would happen to the woman now. Her shop had been burnt to the ground, and Kishi was sure she had lost a lot of her possessions and instruments. Kishi began tentatively at first to sing the lines she only barely remembered. Then as it came rushing back to her, the lyrics to the song of Sun and Shadow, and she sang with her whole heart, and she let the tears stream down her face for everything that she had lost and everything that she had gained. She had lost her mother and brother. She had lost her old life. She had lost her soul-mate, Jerod. As far as she knew he was still in a coma back in Cordor, and she did not know if she would ever see him again, and it broke her heart. She lost Jed. She felt so completely overwhelmed by what she had lost she did not know if she would be able to survive. Then she remembered what all she had gained. She had awakened her gift of mind speech with animals, which was wonderful. She had gained Kaidan and they were bonded in heart and soul and mind. She had gained the wonderful Heralds Nick and Aria and their companions as friends and mentors. She was lucky to still have her father and her brother Mica. She was lucky to be a herald trainee that allowed her some leeway with the crown and kingdom, enough to get her father help through the winter months with the farm. Kishi was very blessed she knew, and yet she felt like despairing over all that she had lost. She felt as if no one had ever lost as much as she, even though she knew in her heart that others had lost more during that raid. Many had lost their lives or livelihood. All that considering Kishi was a very lucky individual. She should be grateful, but she was still sad and depressed. She let the tears fall as she and she sang. She sang out her sadness as the shadow dancer had danced her loss, distraught sadness. Nick stared in complete and total awe. He had no words for what he had just heard. The girl had a raw talent. She did not have a Bardic gift, but she did have a beautiful voice that would make people come to tears. Maybe she should also consider taking some lessons at the Bardic Collegium as well as her regular courses for Heralds. He would make the suggestion to the dean. He needed to remember that she did have a strong communication gift, so strong in fact that even animals could communicate with her. There had not been a herald in a hundreds of years with such a gift, and very little was known about how to handle a trainee with such a strong gift like Kishi's.

Kishi finished the song, and she opened her eyes, and calmly wiped away her tears. She did not know how she sounded, and even though she felt embarrassed, she wanted to do something to keep herself busy. She had sang of the shadow dancer's grief at never being able to be with her life-bonded. Kishi felt the same pain at that moment, having to give up everyone and everything she knew in order to go to Haven to be a herald. Jerod lay in a coma, much like the sun-singer. She would not get to see his blessed face or hear his stunning voice, most likely again. She could only hope that some miracle would transpire and he would awake. When he did she would go back to Cordor to see him and confess her love to him. She had to firmly remind herself, if he woke up. Most people with his injuries the healer had told her never awoke and died in their sleep. Sometimes a week and sometimes months or years after the wound was inflicted, and the healer had never heard of anyone waking up from an injury as serious as Jerod's. Kishi went to the corner where her tack and some of her clothes lay. She pulled out a rag from her pack and dug around till she found some soap and began to clean Kaidan's saddle. She paid meticulous attention to the scrolling and bells on the saddle. She let her hand linger over the scrolling with Kaidan's name. She smiled and called, ::Kaidan?::

::Yes, my heart?::

::I am really hurting in my chest. And it is so hard not to cry. I feel like I have lost everything. Yet, I have gained so much too.::

::You feel like you are being torn in two.::

::Yes.::

::Chosen, you are strong. That is only one of the reasons why I chose you. The pain you feel right now will slowly fade with time.::

::But what if I don't want it to go away? What if it takes control of me?::

::It won't chosen. You are not that type of person.::

::How do you know?!::

::Because we are bound together in our very soul, my heart. Why do you think I call you my heart?::

::How am I supposed to let go? How am I supposed to let it fade?::

::It will, just it will take time. Until then, my heart, we will work together through it.::

Kishi finished cleaning her tack. She looked up at Nick who was still watching with something the lines of awe or amazement on his face yet, even half a candlemark after her song. She looked at him quizzically turning her head the right slightly like a bird, or inquisitive cat.

"What was I really that bad?" she asked dully.

"No…Gods, No! I…I…You…you were amazing," he stammered.

"Not amazing. Just normal. I know I'm no bard," she replied.

"No, no bard, but you sang with such emotion, and you do have some talent. At least you do not sound like a…squawking crow," he fumbled for the right words.

Kishi shrugged, "There was a retired bard in Cordor, I don't remember her name off the top of my head, but she had me sing that song you were humming with…Jerod." Kishi sighed almost as she said his name. Nick smirked, a life-bond. Then he frowned, maybe to a boy that was probably killed in the raid. Oh, gods! That's why! ::Yay you finally figured it out, chosen. Now if you weren't so slow on everything else!:: Lyra said with sardonic pleasure. ::You could have warned me! You could have told me! Holy hell, and I asked her to marry me like thirty times! And she didn't kill me on the spot. Holy Hell! I feel like such and an ass.::

::Chosen, you are an ass.::

::Well it's not like you helped me any!::

::I thought the girl ignoring your jokes would be enough. I thought the look on her face said it all.::

::I didn't notice.::

::Again, if you weren't so slow…:: Lyra allowed the sentence to fall off. Nick now felt awkward, embarrassed, and stunned all at the same time. Kishi saw the look on his face. His face had gone white and his features pinched as if he were in pain. "Nick, are you all right?" she tentatively asked.

"I'm fine, bird, but my companion has shown me just how stupid I really am just now."

"You're not stupid, you're the funniest Herald I've met. Of course I have only met three, but so far you are the funniest."

Nick smiled and relaxed a little bit, obviously she hadn't taken too much offense at his jokes earlier if she thought he was funny. "Well thank you for that, at least someone finds me entertaining." The two friends relaxed a bit. Kishi curled up in a blanket in front of the fire place. The air had definitely gotten colder the farther north they headed. She did not know if she would like winter in Haven. She had heard that they had a lot more snow than the southern border towns. She did not know how she would survive a cold winter. She did not bring with her a lot of winter clothing, mainly because much of her nicer winter clothes were gone during the raid, taken by the raiders. Kishi sighed, "Nick can you tell me about the Collegium?" she queried quietly. "I must admit, I am rather afraid of what it will be like. I will not know anyone there. Are the classes difficult? What are the teachers like? When do I have to start classes?"

Nick laughed, "Oh boy, here we go. Listen I will tell you about my time at the Collegium, and you will promise not to take me too seriously. Deal?"

Kishi smiled, "Deal."


	5. Chapter 5

Your standard disclosure...what's not mine is Misty's, and what's not her's is mine. I have made no money off of this...blahblahblah.

Lord Mitchell sat in his chair at his dining table made of hard oak wood stained a deep dark mahogany brown. He sipped his tea with his right pinky in the air. His shirt was a deep violet satin. His pants were black with gold embroidery. His hair, what was left of it, was slicked over to try and cover the giant bald spot on top of his head. He wore a ring on each finger with a gem the size of a silver piece. Tacky yes, but he did not care. Lord Mitchell loved to show off his wealth. He had inherited his father's large trading business. He had all the connections he would ever need, and he had worked the past couple years to spread his trading connections to Rethwellan and beyond. He had met a few shady folk who needed some items of discretion moved at a good rate, and that had been Lord Mitchell's in. He had made an offer they could not refuse. In return he had gotten several thousands silver pieces, and the busty brunette serving "maid" before him. She was to tell others she was paid, but she was only given clothes to wear while performing her job, as maid. She wore her hair up in a loose bun, and she had a purple tinge on her cheek bone. Her chemise was cut so low that her chest almost fell out of the top when she bent over, and it left her midriff bare. She was hardly ever fed, so she was perpetually thin, thin enough to see the base of her ribs, and the points of her hips. Her skirts were black but had two slits up the front to reveal her thighs whenever she moved. If she ever tried to cover herself, she was beaten. If she ever tried to refuse the Lord. She was beaten. If she ever spoke to anyone, she was beaten. She had long ago forgotten her name, and answered dutifully to the call of "Maid". When guests came she would wear another costume. Her clothes would cover her fully, and her hair had to be impeccable. She was never allowed to speak to another human being, but she did love when guests came because it meant that she was saved from the Lord's lewd glances and his groping hands. Whenever guests came to the manor, she would serve them as a maid should serve guests, and no one ever knew the Lord's secret. That he raped her regularly, and that she was never paid any wages at all. She had a lovely face, and that was the only reason the Lord had chosen "to save her". Save her for himself as it were. There were several other "Maids" in the household, but none of them ever spoke. They slept alone in tiny cells in the cellar. He would only let them out during the day to work. The cook had his own "maid" that he accosted regularly. To live in Lord Mitchell's Manor was not a pleasant experience, one that the maids would never wish on any woman throughout Valdemar, or throughout the whole of Velgrath.

Lord Mitchell frowned at the messenger that had been sent by the raiders. It was a young boy, one of the leader's sons. He had relayed the events at Cordor to Lord Mitchell. He trembled now before the man, as Lord Mitchell tapped his fingers impatiently on the table. His rings glinting in the firelight from candles and the fireplace. He growled at the boy, "And you did not kill them?! I thought you were the 'best' raiders that money could buy?!" the man snarled sarcastically. The boy flinched. Lord Mitchell continued on, "So, now you tell me that not only did you lose most of the slaves, but you lost most of the items you stole as well, and yet you still want your full fee, even when you have not performed and adequate job?!" He stood and over turned his chair, and advanced on the youth. The boy backed up until he was against a wall. Lord Mitchell was in his face screaming now, and the spittle flecked from his foaming mouth and hit the youth in the face and landed on the boy's clothes causing him to pull back even more in revulsion. "You low brained, imbeciles will not get one copper from me. In fact, I am going to destroy your reputation! You will never work again, so long as I live! You can go back to your pea brained, moronic father and tell him if he wants his pay he will come here, and when he does, I will decapitate him and send his head back to you, you twat!" He raised his hand and struck the boy so hard across the face that he fell against the door. The boy scrambled to catch a hold of the door, jerk it open and flee the Manor. The maid who had been serving Lord picked up the chair silently, and stood just off to the left practically in shadow. She did not dare say anything, lest her master notice her and begin to beat and rape her for her "insolence".

Lord Mitchell stalked angrily back to his chair and sat at his table, tossing a casual leg over the arm of it. He reached for the fruit that sat on the plate in front of him. He picked up a couple berries and tossed them down his gullet. He was furious. A child had been chosen, and her companion and two heralds had come and decimated the raiders he had hired. Most of the raiders had been killed, while they could beat unarmed peasants easily, trained warriors with demon horses were a completely different thing. Now he had the problem that there were witnesses to the raid. Questions would be asked at court. He would have to make a plan to stop from any of it coming back and pointing at him. First, he would have to kill the remaining raiders. None of them could be caught and captured to be questioned under Truth Spell to find out who had hired them. Though the majority only knew him as The Lord, some knew his face, like that wretched child. They would have to be killed. He made a mental note to begin looking for well trained assassins to kill the rest of the raiders. Next he would have watch what he traded and what crossed the border now. He would have to call back his caravans for a brief time until the Heralds and Queen stopped looking towards the border so hard, or he would have to find other routes. This was going to cost him silver and gold. He had three caravans either ready to go, or on the road already, but only two carried illicit trades. Those two were worth so much though, and he hated to do it. He would have to watch what was traded the next few months, so nothing could lead back to him. He would have to act cautiously, something he hated. However, it would give him some time to find a new raiding party, and possibly work on his relations with his legal partners, and build his reputation in court again. He could afford to travel to court, and play in the games of intrigues and such.

Maybe he could also find a woman to marry this time. Though it was well known that he was a selfish man, who loved his money more than any other human in the world, but there must be a woman meek enough at court, not able to resist such temptations as his vast wealth afforded him. He also needed to make sure that his accountant was hiding enough of his wealth, so he did not have to pay extra taxes this spring to the Crown. Bloody Queen, and her god damned Heralds, he thought to himself. I wish they would all just die. How is a man supposed to live? With his business falling apart like this, and really you can't hire decent help anymore. Lord Mitchell heaved a sigh. He announced to no one in particular, "Tomorrow I am going on a hunt, and by the time I return I wish my things to be packed so I may travel to Haven. I wish to go to Court the day after." Silence was his reply. Maid, nodded, she would pack his clothes, and before he left, he would have his way with her, but she and the other servants would be undisturbed for a time in the Manor. There was always the cook, but they would be allowed at least some freedom with him gone. They others would talk, and they would be allowed to go outside, and maybe they might get more food, if they could filch from the kitchens. Maid smiled to herself, oh what joyous news, she might break the rules and share it immediately with the other servants.

The next day, Lord Mitchell awoke. He got dressed in his best breeches. He put on a beautiful dark blue, fur lined coat. He wore boots and carried a riding whip. He strode out of his manor and was met on the steps by his personal groom, a young blond woman. She held his horse, and behind her was another blond woman with four dogs. Today he would hunt. He gave the women the scent of the boy who had visited him yesterday as messenger for the raiders. The woman held the piece of fabric for the dogs. When they began barking and lunging on their ropes she let them loose. They raced off down the road leading to the Manor. Shortly down the road they turned off on to a trail in the forest. Lord Mitchell followed along behind with his bow and assorted hunting equipment. His horse cantered along easily following the dogs. It was a magnificent beast. When the horse did not do as he was commanded immediately, the beast felt the bite of the whip. Several times the horse scrapped its shoulder on trees or got his feet tangled in logs as he tried to jump and his master beat him down. The animal was frustrated, sweating, and breathing hard when they happened upon the young man that had been cornered by the ferocious hunting dogs.

The boy had climbed up to the lowest branch of a tree and clung to it for his life. Lord Mitchell pulled up his horse so hard that he drew blood in the animal's mouth. He readied his bow and arrow, and sighted the young man in the tree. He loosed the arrow, and the boy cried out as he was struck and fell to the earth with a heavy thud. Lord Mitchell dismounted and approached the boy's body. He was not quite dead yet, "Such a pity." He pulled a long knife out of his boot and leaned over the unconscious youth and slit his throat. He cut the clothes off of the body, and dumped some deer scent around the body to attract some predators to come and feast on the dead body. He removed his arrow. If there had not been so much blood it would have looked as if the boy had fallen from the tree and died. His own dogs began to chew on the body. He kicked them, one growled at him. He kicked the dog in the head and swore, "You vile beast. I am your master, and you will never growl at me again!" He kicked the dog again, and it whimpered. It turned and raced off into the woods. The other dogs cowered from the Lord's anger, and he gave them a whiff of stag scent. They readied themselves and began the hunt anew. It was not long until they found a young doe with a fawn in a meadow not too far away. Lord Mitchell grinned evilly. He sighted the doe as she took off running with her fawn beside her. His arrow struck her in the shoulder. She ran, but was drug down by his dogs shortly there after. The little fawn had run, and with his dogs occupied the fawn had escaped. However, it was too little to survive without its mother, and would be dead in the matter of a few weeks due to starvation. Lord Mitchell did not care. This was his land, and he killed what he wanted on his land, whether man or beast. He had just killed both, without so much as batting an eye. He loaded the deer to his animal's back and mounted up. The load was not distributed evenly and the horse staggered a little on the way home. He threatened it, "If you come up lame, you blasted animal, you will not live to see tomorrow." They made it back to the manor, but by the time they had gotten there the horse was limping badly, and he gave orders to his groom to dispose of the beast.

Lord Mitchell left the mess of the horse and dead doe to his servants and slaves. The women sobbed over the horse and dead doe, after the lord had gone into the manor. One took care of the deer, and gave it to the cook to deal with and cook. The other cared for the young horse. He was badly hurt and would need several weeks off, but the Lord had said to dispose of him. She did not have the heart to do this, so she put him in the farthest stall from the door. She bathed and cared for him. She wrapped his leg, and put salve on the spots that had been rubbed raw from the saddle. She would sell him to a farmer after he healed. There was no reason that such an amazing animal should be treated like he was worth nothing. The woman would take the money and hoard it away. Maybe she and the dog handler would be able to run away and start a new life. Of course she was dreaming, no one escaped Lord Mitchell's cruelty, but she could dream after all. If he found the horse before then he would kill her. She did not know that the next day he was leaving and her and her friend would have the once in a life time chance of escaping this vile and cursed Manor. She was one who still remembered her name, and though the Lord had tried to break her, he could not. Even putting her in the Kitchen for a time to let the cook deal with her, it had not broken her. Her name was Evalina, and she went by Eva. Her friend was the timid, Bridget. The two had become fast friends when they had been determined to be better suited to dealing with animals than with Lord Mitchell himself. Bridget had been beaten and raped to the point that she was almost crazy. Eva was vengeful. Both were kept locked in a cabin at night away from the manor out of fear that they would kill either the Lord or the cook. The two women had began to talk again breaking the rule of the manor because they were the only two that knew and had freedom the other women did not. Lord Mitchell kept his slaves in check with several highly paid guards that were charged with the care and punishment of the women. They would kill one if she tried to escape. Eva had seen one girl, new to the manor, she had made a plan and tried to run. She did not even make it to the gate before being caught. Eva watched as the Lord himself plunged a knife into the girl's heart. Then he desecrated her body, and strung her out in the back yard for the crows and carrion. The Lord was an animal that took things that were beautiful and lovely and destroyed them.

That evening when two guards brought Eva and Bridget their food, she heard them chatting as they approached. "Well we will have a break at least. Maybe we can have some fun while he is gone to Court. There is a pretty red head that I have been dying to try out for myself."

"What about the blond he keeps in that work costume. She has tits on her…mmmmhmmm."

The second man laughed, "Be careful, she is his favorite. If he finds out…" The sentence ended with an ominous silence, and Eva imagining the man drawing a finger across his throat symbolizing what taking the favorite meant. She grinned. That is what she would do. She would really stick it to that bastard. She would try to figure out a way to meet this favorite in the costume and take her too with her and Bridget. All three would leave, and he would be so furious he would kill the cook, and his guards. Then maybe people would hear how horrible of a man he was. Eva smiled in the dark of the cabin. The men banged on the door and a small flap opened and two plates were shoved in with some gruel on them.

Eva got up and got both plates. She handed one to Bridget. The woman ate it and stared with unseeing eyes at Eva. Eva waited until she knew the guards had returned to the Manor. She grinned in the dimness at her cohort. "I have a plan. We will sell the lame horse, and get the Favorite, and all three of us will leave the Manor." Bridget trembled and turned her head away, and without looking at her prison mate asked, "How, Evalina. Others died doing it, how will we?"

Eva smiled, "He will be gone to Court. We will wait a few days. I will sneak to the kitchen and find the Favorite. I will talk with her, and we will escape within the fortnight."

"How will we unlock the door?"

"She will steal the keys from the guard that is going to sleep with her. She will escape and she will let us out."

"How do you know she will come?"

"Because I am going to pay her part of the money from the horse, but only after she lets us out. Then we will run away. He will never catch us again because if he comes after us, we will tell that he kept us as slaves, and he hurt us. We will find Heralds and tell them. We will go to the Queen if we have to! I will not ever come back here again though. I will die first!" Bridget fidgeted in the dimming dark. She was afraid, but she knew that they needed to escape, or they would die here. She agreed with her friend Eva. Eva was stronger and angrier than she was. Bridget would never have a normal life, she was too badly damaged. She did like the animals, but she would never let a man touch her again. The two women shook on the plan. Now all they had to do was wait.

The next day when the sun rose, Lord Mitchell greeted the day with a smiling face. He wore a white silk shirt, with dark blue vest that had silver thread embroidery. His breeches were made of the finest, softest calf skin that anyone could buy in the whole of Valdemar. He wore his fur lined dark blue coat with gold embroidery. He would be driven to Court by a local whom he had hired to drive his carriage with his four black stallions pulling it. The carriage itself was plain enough on the outside to discourage thieves and raiders, but the inside of it was lined with velvet and he had several secret compartments that his most prized possessions. He smiled as one of his women held the door open for him and bowed her head. He did not see who it was, but it was his groom. She watched him enter the carriage, and she waited and watched as the man disappeared through the Manor's gates. The large gates slammed shut behind him. Eva merely grinned. She turned and strode into the Manor. She should have waited at least a day, but she wanted to start her plan right away. She went to the cook to tell him of the Lord's command about selling the horse, and how she was to take the horse to the closest farmer today to get rid of it. When the cook balked, she said that their Lord had demanded that he not see the beast again.

"Well, we could kill and cook it," the cook argued.

"No, the Lord was very specific, we were to sell it to the closest farm, so he did not have to see it again on his property. You know the Lord would refuse to eat not quality goods."

"Well what he does not know…"

"Would be on your head, not mine."

The cook swallowed hard. "All right, but who is going to take the money to the accountant? Usually the Lord himself handles that sort of thing."

Eva looked at him with wide eyes feigning fear, "Well I will give the money to my Lord, and he can take it to the man himself. What you think I am crazy enough to risk a beating or worse?" She told the cook when he started to protest. "You forget, sir, I saw first hand what happens to those who disobey my Lord. He is my protector and my savior. I would not betray him."

The cook nodded. Most of the girls here were scared of their own shadows, he had no reason to believe that Eva would act any differently that she had just stated. He allowed her out of the side gate with the horse. Eva led the poor horse to the closest farm. She explained that he had gotten injured during a hunting accident, and needed to rest. The Lord had decided he would just buy a new horse, so he wanted to sell this one, and he would take a cheap price due to the fact that he was injured. The farmer was only too happy to take the magnificent stallion at half the normal price for such a creature. Eva knew that the money she had just taken would be more than enough to pay for new clothes and get them far away from the Manor. Heck if they used it wisely they would make it all the way to Haven, which was a three day journey on foot.

Eva returned to the Manor and her chores. She finished everything and that night she shared with Bridget her happiness at her success. "I did it, Bridget! I have the money! Now we will give it a day or two. That way we make sure the Lord is in Haven, and cannot come home right away. We will then go to the Favorite. I am sure she will join us!" Bridget nodded silently, though she was unsure and afraid she would not betray her dearest prison mate. The two had made a pledge to be together forever. If they could get free of the Lord, and make it to the Queen then maybe the Queen and her magical companion could heal some of Bridget's hurts. She could only hope. Besides Eva was her only friend in the whole world. She loved her very much, and she wanted to do anything that Eva wanted to do. She would support her no matter what.

Two days passed and Eva went back to the Manor again. This time she stole two apples while she was there. She found a maid in the house, and she quietly questioned her about the favorite. The girl, barely sixteen years old, whispered back in a hurriedly way, "The favorite wears a black skirt with slits up to her hips, and a red chemise that does not cover anything. I heard a guard looking for her earlier today." The girl ran back to her chores almost immediately. Eva swallowed, damn! The stupid guard could ruin her plans. She walked up the stairs to the second floor, and she heard a soft cry from one of the rooms she passed by. She knew that the guard was having his way with the girl now. She waited, hiding behind a huge velvet curtain. The man came from the room while adjusting his breeches and hooking his belt. Eva heard him walk away. She peeked out and saw him head down the stairs looking pleased with himself. He would be back she knew. She entered the bedroom to find the Favorite laying in the bed with her hands and legs bound to the four posts. She was bleeding from several places and had a gash above her eye and a black and blue cheek. She had bite marks up and down her naked body, and a hand print on her wrist. Eva winced seeing this. She raced forward and untied the girl's hands. She spoke quietly and quickly knowing the man would be back.

"I have a proposition for you honey. Shh, don't say anything! You are the favorite right?" The other girl nodded timidly. Eva continued, "We have some money, and we are going to get out of here, and we want you to come with us." The girl stared at her in total disbelief. "Look I will pay you one hundred silver if you steal that guard's keys, and you come down to the shed and let me and Bridget out either tonight or tomorrow night. I suspect he's going to have his way with you until you aren't pretty anymore. You should come at night. We can get out the back gate."

"but...but...but if the Lord or the guards find out?"

"They won't because none of us will be telling them, aye?"

The favorite nodded realizing the veiled threat from the other woman. She was intimidated for sure, and she was terrified of what this woman might do. She had heard whisperings about the two crazy women who lived in the cabin, and now one was here before her offering her freedom. She knew it was a crazy person's idea, but still she wanted to hope that it might work, so she nodded her agreement. "Good," Eva replied smiling, "Untie yourself and when he comes in next time whatever you do, make sure you get the keys. I don't really care how. Okay?" The favorite nodded again.  
That evening the guard came back to the bedroom to find that the favorite was untied and had cleaned the room and made the bed. The ropes he had used to tie her up with were in a neat pile next to the bed. He was in such utter amazement he did not know how to respond, "How...but...how?" He gave her a confused look, and she merely smiled silently. She approached him docilely with her head lowered and her eyes cast up looking at him in an innocent manner. He grinned.  
Several hours later after the guard was snoring the Favorite took the keys from his belt. She slipped out of the door. She knew that tonight they would have to escape because unlike the other girls she was not risk being caught with keys in hand. She would be killed immediately for such a betrayal. Not to mention the Lord would find out that the guard had his way with his Favorite Maid. She slipped down and out of the Manor's back door. She silently padded barefoot over the rocks and grass wincing when she stepped on a particularly sharp stone. She raced as quickly as her bare feet would allow her to the small cabin, completely dark. She had no light with her, and she fumbled with the keys, which jingled in the darkness, she cringed at the sound. She fumbled trying to find the right key to the door. One finally fit in, and while it only took a few minutes, but it felt as if it took several hours. She did not even realize when both Eva and Bridget were staring out the bars at her from the top of the door. When she turned the key and the door swung open, she was shocked to find both Eva and Bridget staring back at her. Eva was dressed in dark clothes and looked the Favorite up and down realizing that she had no shoes on her feet and her costume that barely covered anything she shook her head. She grabbed her pack, and shoved it into the girl's hands. She ran back into the cabin grabbed an extra chemise and an extra pair of boots for the girl. She shoved the items into the girl's hands, and when the Favorite stood there dumbly, Eva took the chemise back and pulled it over her head. The Favorite finally got the hint and shoved her arms into the long sleeves, and then put the boots on the ground and pulled them on to her bleeding and cut feet. She nodded that she was ready. They had no food, and very little clothing. The three of them snuck to the back gate of the property. The dogs that were loose, upon seeing their trainer stopped their growling and curled up on the ground and whimpered as she passed by. They seemingly understood she was escaping and were going to miss their sweet mistress. Bridget stopped and stooped to the two dogs, and petted them and whispered something in their ears. The two wagged their tails and trotted off through the open gate into the forest. Bridget smiled after them, and then strode through the open gate after them. The other two women followed after her. They headed around the property staying close to the trees, hoping not to be seen by any of the night guards. Though they need not have worried, as the two night guards at the main gate, had spent the evening filling gullets with the strongest mead from the cellar. The women made it to the road unnoticed, and they continued on their journey. They would try to make it as far as possible away from Lord Mitchell's Manor.

The three women traveled down the road all night, and they were surprised that they did not meet any people along the way, of course it was dark, so there would not be any smart travelers out and about, nor any that were honest. The three women were lucky enough to not meet anyone on the road. Eva noticed that it was starting to get light in the East. The three road weary women managed to find a barn and a farm not too far from them. They snuck up in to the loft to sleep the day away. In order to remain hidden from any of the farm workers the three women crawled up on top of the stacked hay. They crawled along the beams and the hay clear to the back wall of the barn. Eva with some careful maneuvering and slight cussing when she banged her head against a beam pulled up three hay bales and put them between the women and the far side of the building, so if someone climbed up to look they would not be easily spotted. She arranged them in a straight line to make it look like there were just three extra bales on top. The three women crawled down into the hole made by the removed hay, and curled up to sleep. They were lucky that the hay made the area they had chosen warm, since not a one of them had any extra winter clothes, cloaks, or blankets. They slept throughout the day, and awoke shortly before sunset with their stomachs growling. Eva knew they would need to get some food from somewhere, but she felt as if they were still too close to the Manor to possibly be captured and drug back to the hell hole and killed.


	6. Chapter 6

Standard disclosure thingie. AN: Meet Selma from the Plains, she's nice and all, but she has a super strong foresight gift that is actually fairly reliable, so she's unique in that way. BTW it's going to get much more interesting. I'm just working on editing the next few chapters. I wasn't sure what to do about her accent, mind you this is prior to magic coming back to Valdemar, so...yea. Any suggestions on it, would be helpful.

Kishi and Nick rode along a wide road; they had seen several caravans traveling with traders. There were people riding and walking, and all different types of people. Some of the people were wearing clothes that Kishi had never seen before. They rounded a bend and went up a slight hill. When they crested the hill, down below they could see the sprawling city of Haven, the capital of Valdemar. Kishi's mouth hung open as she took in the vast city. She saw the castle sitting up on top of a hill with a large stone wall surrounding it. The two companions stood still and allowed Kishi to fill her view and take in all that she saw. She heard a chuckle in her mind and one next to her from Nick and Kaidan. She glanced at Nick and questioned, "What?"

Nick smiled, "You remind of me of the first time I saw the city. I felt so small in comparison to it all. I did not know how I was going to find my way to the Collegium. Luckily I had Lyra eh?" He smiled at the girl who was staring back at the expansive city. Kishi said to Kaidan, ::Glad you find this funny.::

::It's entertaining. You are like a new born just getting to see the world. You will like Collegium, though I think you will miss the solitude, but we can find spaces for that as well. There is a forest on the other side of the castle where we can work on your gifts together as well,:: Kaidian said. Kishi nodded in silent agreement. The companions started at a trot down the hill. As they got closer to Haven, some children came out to greet the companions and waved and danced in front of their hooves. Kaidan pranced and arched his neck, and Kishi laughed at her companion and his vanity. Kaidan ate up the attention that the children gave him. ::I bet you are looking forward to getting back into your stall, and being groomed for hours on end, eh?:: Kishi teased her companion. ::Yes, if you would be so kind:: he said slyly back to her. The group headed through Haven's streets. The companions and Nick were excited to be back home, and Kishi was nervous and excited to start her new adventure. Kishi and Nick took the companions to the stables. They untacked, and groomed the two companions thoroughly. They put their tack away after taking some time to wipe it down. Nick said, "We can come back down later and clean it more. Well and you will have to do that as part of your training anyhow. Let's go on up to the castle and I'll show you Herald's Collegium, and get you a room, some grays, and…" Kishi did not hear the rest, they had walked out of the stable door, and she was staring up at the castle and the three Collegiums. People were all over in all different color uniforms. Kishi felt a little overwhelmed, and she turned and looked back at Kaidan, her face was pale, and she ran back to him, and hugged him, ::Kaidan, I'm scared!:: The companion sent a chuckle into her mind, ::I can see that, chosen, do not worry so, every thing will be fine.:: Kishi released his neck and turned taking a deep breath, and Kaidan nuzzled her shoulder reassuringly. Kishi took another deep breath and headed back out of the stable. Nick waited patiently by the door. He seemed to understand that she may need a few minutes. The two trekked up the hill to the Herald's Collegium. Nick said, "First we will have you meet with the Dean of the Herald's Collegium, Dean Elcarth. Then he will take you from there. You are kind of a special case since you had to stay at home for a couple months, and since your gifts came out so strong and so fast. That is why Aria and I were given special permission to give you some training while you were at home. After all they did not want you to mind shout every thing, so that any herald within two villages could hear you. They were also worried that your gift would start affecting others around you as well. After all it would not be good if your thoughts started flowing into other people's minds, they might think they were going crazy."

"You mean I can do that?"

"You probably will be able to, eventually, yes. You have also grown up knowing about companions which is great, and Companion's choice. Not all people who live on the border know about it. I think you probably have had more encounters with Herald's recently too because of the Tedrel Wars. There was a girl a year ahead of me, she came from the border too, but she did not know anything about Companions or Companion's Choice, or anything about Herald's gifts. Consider yourself lucky." Kishi was smiled and just listened to Nick prattle on about Collegium and everything. He continued, "Normally, they want to let the Dean explain everything to you, but you know, you are kind a special case with the raid and everything."

The two continued through a door and down a hall in the Collegium. They walked up some stairs and at the end of the hall, Nick stopped and knocked on a door. "Come in," came a voice from behind the door. Nick opened the door to a room covered in books and papers with a desk. There were a few chairs, and Nick said, "Elcarth, she's all your's now." The dean held out a hand and motioned that Kishi should take a seat in one of the unoccupied chairs. Kishi sat calmly in the chair, but she was tense with nerves. She was afraid of what would happen, and nervous to start her new life. Kishi sat gently on the wood chair across from the Dean's desk. The dean sat at his desk and folded his hands. He gave her an appraising look, as if he was judging her in some way. He nodded finally and spoke, "Kishi I wanted to talk to you a little bit about Collegium. We will be having an orientation class, and you will be attending classes in many subjects. Can you read?" Kishi nodded, "I took the classes offered at the Temple in Cordor for a few years. I can read, write, and do figures, but I do not know how much you will be wanting me to do, so I may need some more classes." The dean nodded and continued, "I will give you a tour and show you the dorms, and then we will get you a room and take you see the Housekeeper and get you signed up for your duties. You packed some stuff, so I will have you take that up to your room first. Then I will get you acquainted with a mentor who will help you adjust to your new life here at Haven. And Kishi, welcome to Herald's Collegium and welcome to being a herald trainee." He smiled, and added as a side note, "Also since your gift is so very strong and has already awakened we will have you take some classes to help you use it and train you some, all right?" Kishi nodded, she smiled and had relaxed a little. The dean stood and Kishi followed his lead. The two headed out of the door of his office and walked down the hall, he directed her attention to the rooms on either side, "This hall here is the boys dormitory, and the girls is up the stairs." They walked up a flight of stairs, and walked down the hall, and stopped in the middle of it. Kishi noticed that each door had a name tag on it, and the one they stopped in front of was blank, the dean wrote her name on the black card on the door and opened it. Kishi walked in to her new room. It was small, but it had everything she would need. She sat her packs down at the foot of her bed, and turned back towards dean, "I hope it is to your liking. Now we will go back downstairs to meet with Housekeeper and get your uniforms and put on the duty roster. Oh and before I forget, here," the Dean handed her a piece of paper with her list of classes on it, "You will be wanting that so you know where you are going." Kishi glanced at the list, but did not read it. She followed the Dean out of her room, and then they headed back to the stairs, "I will show you the common room where meals are held, and then we shall head down to see Housekeeper Gaytha, all right?" Kishi nodded quietly taking in her surroundings and wondering how she was not going to get lost in all the halls and all the Collegium, when Kaidan chirped up in the back of her mind, ::No worries, you can always ask someone, or you could simply ask me! You know I would never let you get too lost here. Besides soon enough you will be making friends, plus you get a mentor remember.:: Kishi rolled her eyes and replied, ::I am not scared. I am just a little nervous, it is all new to me. I am not a baby, Kaidan.:: Her companion chuckled in her mind as a reply.

The Dean watched her, and carried on a short conversation with his own companion about how quickly Kishi's gift had become strong and how it had flourished almost over night. Her companion had done a nice job working with her on it, and the two heralds, Nick and Aria had done a wonderful job giving her the basic lessons she needed in controlling her gift. Aria and Nick both had relayed that the child's mind speech had been so strong that they could hear her several miles away. They had also reported the strange behavior of animals, and it appeared as if the girl could communicate with them as well. Nick's Companion, Lyra had relayed the incident with the dog, Jed, to Dean Elcarth and his Companion. It was certainly an interesting dilemma to be faced with. Most children who have been chosen, their gifts take time to awaken, although there were rare cases when gifts were awakened by violent incidents in a chosen's life, though they were rare, and sometimes the gifts would dissipate again, that was not the case with Kishi. Her gift had come out in full force during the traumatic incident at her family's farm and the village of Cordor. Yet the child had reacted admirably. The Dean and Heralds had arranged for her to stay until the situation with her younger brother had been resolved, but that meant teaching her some basics about gifts. Collegium would be new to her, and she might find it hard to fit in if she were in too many classes with older individuals and none of her year mates. Dean Elcarth had tried to find a balance for her classes, and make it a happy medium so she could adjust to life more smoothly at the Collegium. He watched her as she talked with her Companion, it was evident from the look in her eye and her movements that she still was not entirely comfortable communicating with him in Mind Speech, but he could not help but smile when he saw her roll her eyes, and knew it had to be something her Companion had done or said. Hopefully her year mates would not be jealous of her talents or abilities.

Upon reaching the lowest level the Dean lead her to the Housekeeper's office. The pair got her signed up on the duty roster, and the Housekeeper gave Kishi her grays. Kishi could not help, but smile after that. She was really here in Haven, and she was really going to Collegium to become a herald! She was really a Herald Trainee now! She nearly pranced as they headed out of the Housekeepers room. They made a brief detour to the common room so she could see it, and it was there that she met with her mentor.

The Dean called over Kishi's mentor. The girl was tall and had long straight black hair. Her skin was tan, and she moved as graceful as a deer did through a forest. Kishi was amazed at her height and her beauty. "Selma, this is the new trainee, Kishi. You are going to be her mentor." The girl smiled and with a thick accent said, "Welcome to Collegium. I look forward to showing you around. I am Selma of the Deer Clan." Selma spoke slowly and it looked as though she had trouble thinking of a few of the words she was trying to say. She was not a native to Valdemar that much was obvious. Kishi did not mind though and smiled at her mentor. "Hello, I am Kishi," Kishi replied.

"I will leave you two to get acquainted, and Selma would mind finishing showing Kishi around the rest of the Collegium?"

"Yes, sir," Selma nodded.

"Thank you, Selma. Kishi it was a pleasure."

"Thank you, sir," Kishi replied.

The two girls stood awkwardly staring at one another for a few moments. Kishi broke the silence, "I need to take these back up to my room, but I'm not sure how to get there from here. Can you show me?" Selma nodded, "Yes, of course." The two headed back out of the common room, and Selma led her to the stairs that led up to the girls' dorms. Kishi found her room from there and put her stuff away. Selma suggested, "You should wash up and change into your grays. Since you now are a trainee. It would be good." Kishi nodded, and she pulled out a pair of breeches, tunic, and undershirt. Selma stood by the door and fidgeted uncomfortably waiting for Kishi, not knowing what to say to the new girl. She had been the new girl just a year ago, but her language skills were not that strong, and she was worried the new girl may judge her for it. So, she stood silent and instead fidgeted while waiting for the girl to get ready to head out. Kishi turned around and saw Selma switching her weight from foot to foot, seemingly impatient. Kishi tried to ignore it, did her mentor not want to be her mentor? Kishi wondered to herself, but she followed the girl to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Kishi was amazed at the pipes that carried the hot water to the baths. Kishi bathed quickly in one of the tubs. When she jumped out her skin was bright red from scrubbing. She toweled off quickly and rubbed her hair. She ran her fingers through her hair to untangle the worst knots in her hair. Her light brown hair hung at her shoulders and dampened the back of her tunic as she let it air dry. Selma had not said anything to her while she bathed or got dressed. In fact, the girl merely sat humming and staring off into space. Kishi cleared her throat stirring Selma from her thoughts. "Hey, I'm dressed. Now where else do we need to go?" Kishi inquired. Selma smiled, "I show you the rest of the Collegiums. There are three, you know? The Bardic and the Healer's Collegiums the other two are. I sorry that my accent is difficult. I know my language is not so good. I will show you the Library, and the gardens, and Companion's field. There are many places that are very nice here," Selma smiled, "I like it much." Kishi smiled at the girl, and asked, "Where are you from?"

"I am from the Dhorisha Plains. I am of the Deer Clan. This is why my Valdemarian is not so good."

"You speak just fine. No worries, I understand you just fine. Do you speak with your companion in Valdemarian or your language?"

Selma laughed at this and then stopped to think about, "I think in my own language as it is easier. I am not sure." The girl laughed, and her laughter was infectious, soon Kishi was laughing. Kaidan pointed out, ::You two look like a couple of crazies, you know that right?::

::Shut up.:: Kishi said to Kaidan, and shortly after got her laughter under control. Selma stopped laughing and the girls grinned at each other. Kishi said, "Kaidan says we are crazy."

"That is what Jais said as well."

"Jais?"

"My companion, he is Jasen, but I call him Jais for short. It is how you say, a short name?"

"A nick name?"

"Yes that is it!"

Kishi giggled, "How long have you been here, at Haven and Collegium I mean?"

"A little less than one year," replied Selma, "I spoke no Valdemarian then when I come here. So, I had to learn. I am not so alone. Albrech the weapons master was the same, and his accent is much different from mine."

"Really? Where is he from?" Kishi asked intrigued that not all Heralds were from Valdemar as she originally thought.

"Karse."

The answer surprised Kishi a great deal, and she did not know what to say to that. The country behind the Tedrel Wars, and an enemy of Valdemar was also the source for a trusted Herald. Kishi stood and was ready to leave, and Selma followed suit shaking her long black hair out of her face and the two headed out just as the bell for supper rang out throughout the Collegium. Selma led Kishi back down the stairs to the common room for the evening meal. The two sat at a table together and discussed everything and anything. Selma told Kishi about the other trainees and the Blues. She told her about the teachers and some of Kishi's classmates. This was the most anyone had ever seen Selma talk before. The girl was known to be a loner and quiet. Selma had kept to herself a lot, but mainly because she was nervous and shy, and she felt that her language skills were not that good. She also lacked the ability to mind speak well with her companion, and she thought that that had to do also with why she did not speak Valdemarian well. The two girls were fast becoming friends. They spent the rest of the evening together exploring Collegium and the grounds.

The next day Kishi was woke to the sound of the bell ringing for breakfast. When she first opened her eyes there was a momentary panic of forgetting where she was and why. She was surprised by the soft bed and the furniture around her. Then she remembered she was a herald trainee at Collegium in Haven. She wondered how her father and brother Mica were doing in Cordor. She felt a sharp pang of homesickness goad her. She missed her father and her brother, and her farm animals. The window was open and there was a small sparrow sitting on it watching her and it suddenly spoke to her, ::Cry?::

"What? Who?" Kishi looked around her eyes finally seeing the small sparrow.

::Cry? Why? You should sing.:: the small bird chirped at her.

::I miss my family. I miss my home. My nest if you will.:

:

::Nest? You far from your nest? You have chicks?::

::No, no. But I miss my father and brother, and I wish I knew how they were,:: Kishi replied.

::Where your nest?::

Kishi closed her eyes and thought of her home far, far away. She envisioned the farmstead and the barn. She saw the tall grasses and the trees of the forest. A tear slid down her cheek. When she opened her eyes again the sparrow had fluttered down to her bed. Kishi smiled sadly at the bird. She reached out to stroke its tiny head. The bird jumped at first, but then stood still and let Kishi pet it. "I will write a letter to my brother and da. What do you think little friend?" At that there was a knock on her door. She opened it to see Selma standing there in her grays and smiling, "Who you speak to?"

"Oh, hey, umm…there was a…nevermind," Kishi felt awkward telling the other trainee that her gift was to speak with animals. She still felt like people would think she was crazy. Like the man who had been beating Jed had called her when she attacked him, had called her, but if he could have heard the dog's pathetic cries for help he would not have hit him as he had. Then Jed would still be alive. Kishi turned away from Selma quickly and let a few tears slide down her cheek silently. "Sorry, I should get ready huh?" she said in a strangled voice. Selma looked at her curiously, but said nothing. She sat easily on Kishi's chair by her desk when she noticed the tiny sparrow sitting on the bed. "Oh!" The sparrow fluttered back up to the window sill. Selma smiled and walked to the bed to sit quietly and held out her hand invitingly to the little bird. Kishi was pulling on her tunic and turned to see Selma sitting there and the bird hopping back and forth on the sill trying to determine what to do. Kishi sent a message to the bird, ::She's a friend, she will not hurt you.:: The little bird cocked its head to the side looking at Kishi and then fluttered over to Selma's hand. Selma crooned over the little bird in her native tongue, and stroked it gently. When Kishi was ready Selma set the bird back on the sill and said to Kishi, "You can talk to them, yes?" Kishi's jaw dropped, and she stammered, "But…I…how…I never told you." Selma laughed, "And that is my gift. I see things and know things that are to happen yet. I have what they call Foresight. I knew you would be here and I knew your gift before you said to anyone. I know you already speak with your companion too."

"But how?!"

"I saw it."

Kishi was completely flabbergasted. Selma just smiled her same old smile and said, "I very much want to eat, and you need to, so we should go to the hall to get some food. Yes?" Kishi merely shook her head. Her new friend was really surprising her, what else did Selma know about her without Kishi sharing. Kishi followed Selma down to the dining hall relatively quiet. She had not the time to write her family that morning, but maybe in the afternoon, she would find time to write them. Even if it was a short letter to let them know she was in Haven and in one piece. She was not sure if she liked it at the Collegium yet or not, since she only knew Selma and Kaidan and Nick. She wondered where Nick had disappeared to, but she did not need to wonder too long for he came and sat with Selma and her that morning for breakfast. He looked well rested for the first time in a week. He smiled and was happy, bubbly, and joking like usual. She had not been happy or cheerful on the way to Haven for the vast majority of the trip due to her missing her family, she was over tired, or after Jed had died she was very depressed. Due to those facts, Kishi had not been the best travel companion she reflected, so now was the time to rectify that problem, only Nick did not give her time to try before flinging more news at her.

"So, after we finish eating you and I will be meeting with some folk, Kishi. The Queen herself would like an audience with you."

"Me?! Why me?"

"Because you saw and fought the raiders. You might be able to tell us something about them, and that will help Aria and the guards who have been sent down there to track them down."

"Aria is tracking them?"

"Yea, why else do you think that she was staying behind? Do not worry little bird, Josh and Miranda are with them too. She's not alone in her task. I would have stayed, but the Queen requested that I come back to Haven with you."

"Why?"

"Well they needed me for something else, and because they were a little worried about you traveling here by yourself. You are a target because you are a chosen and you saw the raiders. You may have been in danger."

"Why? You do not think that someone here in Valdemar is having raiders come and ransack towns and take people to be slaves else where do you?"

Nick did not answer her. Instead he said, "Hurry up and eat we do not want to be late." This made Kishi even more apprehensive and on edge. She only picked at her food a little after that. Nick finished two plates worth of food and leaned back happily and let loose a huge belch. "EWWWWW! You are worse than my brother," Kishi said. Selma sat quietly to the side and only giggled at the Herald. When Nick looked at her, "Well Shin'a'in what do you think of that one?" She blushed and giggled again. Selma was shy, and she said nothing throughout the conversation between Nick and Kishi. Instead she sat like a star struck filly staring at Nick. The proud Herald pretended not to notice, but it did inflate his ego some to have such a pretty shin'a'in girl paying him all the attention in the world as if he were some magnificent war horse. His companion sent him a few choice words though trying to deflate said ego.

Kishi and Nick headed off to go to meet with Queen Selenay and several others of the council. They left Selma to head off to her own classes for the morning with Nick promising not to abandon Kishi, and to show her where she had to go for her classes as well. Kishi was still not comfortable in navigating the Collegium, after all she had only been there barely one full day. During her tour she had spent mostly talking with Selma and becoming fast friends with the girl, not so much paying attention to where she was. Kishi started feeling nervous and tight again as they approached the Queen's chambers. Kaidan did his best to reassure his chosen, but she was not in the mood to hear it today. She was scared of what the Queen would say, and how she would be towards her. She had worked herself up so much she almost felt as though she were about to throw up her breakfast at one point. Kaidan finally laid some verbal smack down to his chosen, ::Stop your fretting, the Queen is NOT some scary creature. She is a Herald, just like you will be one day, providing you grow a spine. Stop working yourself into a tizzy every time something happens. I promise you will not die, but you are really tempting me to stomp on your feet right now.:: Kishi was immediately sobered, and was so angry with Kaidan that she did not have time to become sick as they were announced and entered in to meet the Queen and a few others of the Council in her chambers. Kishi entered the room and immediately sent back a mind shout that rattled the minds of all the Heralds in the room and the guards standing by the door, and that of her companion as well.

"Well it is obvious what her gift is," the Queen said reaching up for her aching head, "Next time child please do not do that." Kishi stood in total shock, "You all heard that?" The look on the guards face, "Miss, I heard it and I have no talents." Kishi was suddenly the shade of a bard's robe embarrassed and shamed. Queen Selenay smiled kindly on the young girl, "It is alright, Kishi, you just need to learn to control your gift some more. You are very blessed in that you have a very strong gift. You know that is how Kaidan and the other Heralds were able to find you in the woods was because of you using your gift. You have a very special and unique gift." The Queen's Own sat next to her and nodded in agreement, "Mind speech is a very special gift, there are those of us who are not lucky enough to have it, but you have it enough that even those who do not have it can hear you. That is fantastic, and can be extremely useful for a Herald in both battle and in other situations as well." Talia added. Kishi nodded, but she still felt ashamed of what she had done. Normally she kept her cool and always remained calm no matter what, but she was so homesick, and she was so worried about Collegium and everything she just did not know what was happening to her. She was not allowed to be awash in self pity for long because the Queen requested of her to relive the whole nightmare of what had happened at her home and in Cordor.

Kishi began at the very beginning of how her pony Jessi had colicked, and how she had been out watching the cows. She had began to run when she realized that the birds were flying and she could hear a bunch of horses approaching their tiny farmstead. She told about how she managed to escape into the woods and did not know what had happened to her mother or father. She told about how the red horse had come to her and how he had spoken to her. That was the first time she had ever heard and animal speak. She explained that she always had a natural talent for working with animals, and how animals always liked her, but she had never heard them speak until that day. She told of her terrifying ride to Cordor, and how she had rode through the village warning everyone of the raiders. Queen Selenay said, "Without your warning more people would have died, they at least had a chance to defend themselves thanks to your warning. You are very brave for someone so young." The queen reached over and patted the girl on her shoulder as Kishi realized there were tears streaming down her face. She told of the raiders breaking down the gate, how they sacked the town, and killed many people. She told of how she saw the battle through the red horse's eyes and how she felt him die. She told of how Jerod had been thrown and beaten unconscious. She broke down at this point and cried huge sobs that racked her body and made it difficult to breathe. She felt a comforting arm around her, and she felt a reassurance and sympathy flow into her, and with it a strength and confidence to help her continue her story. Kishi looked up at the Queen's Own who held her and comforted her. Kishi continued her story, how the raiders saw her and Jerod's mother upstairs through the window. How she had held them off so the others could escape. She told of how a wolf pack appeared out of no where to defend her. She told of how the stag had appeared and fought for her even though she had told him he would be killed. Even though she had tried to make him go away from her, and how she failed and he was killed. She told of how guilty she felt for all the animals' deaths and how they had protected her. She told them things that she would never tell anyone, or at least that was what she had vowed, but now the words just flowed from her. The words spilled as a fountain spilled, and it engulfed her and forced the rest to come out as well. She told of the death march, of how those unable to keep up were killed on the spot. She told of what happened the first night she awoke in the camp and said that one raider had done things to her. The Queen's Own felt the poor girl's revulsion and self loathing. She felt her pain, and she hugged her again, but even sending sympathetic waves of encouragement she could not erase that pain, at least not right now. Kishi continued to cry as she told the rest of her story. She told about the Heralds showing up after she had found her brothers. She explained how after the one raider had been killed she found the keys to the chains and unchained herself and the others. She told how she had protected her brothers. She told about how one of the raiders had managed to capture Zack. Kishi closed her eyes and remembered the fear in Zack's face as he was being carried away by the raider, she could almost hear him calling to her, "Kishi! KISHI!" Kishi's eyes flew open and the Queen stood there with a tight grip on her arms shaking her almost. Tears were streaming down her face, and the Queen's Own was sitting in a chair with her head between her knees taking deep breaths. Kishi felt hot tears of shame, embarrassment, sadness and frustration stream down her face. Queen Selenay wrapped her arms around the young girl. She whispered in her ear, "You are such a strong girl. We will do our very best to find your brother. All right?" The Queen held her back at arms length and looked her straight in the eyes with her sapphire blue eyes, "I promise you, we will help you, and you must know that you are not ever alone." The queen helped Kishi to the chair to sit down and gave her a handkerchief to dry her eyes and blow her nose.

Queen Selenay sat with Nick, The Queen's Own, and the Senechal. They discussed what should be done about the raiders. Aria and Josh were searching the southern border for clues as to where they were from or where they were going. They talked about how to handle Kishi and her trauma. Even though she had stayed at home the few months, and that had certainly helped with the trauma, she was still suffering some emotional and mental anguish over the event, that much was evident to everyone in the room. Kishi sat in the chair not listening to the others talk, instead she allowed herself to crawl into her mind and thought about everything that had happened. She wished she could remember more about the raiders, about what they said, about how they dressed, or their accents. She knew the heralds had gone over the dead ones with a fine tooth comb and the only thing that gave them any indication from where the raiders were from were possibly Karse or Rethwellen. There were some that looked like they could be from either southern country, and the only identifying markers they had were tattoos on their neck of eagles. That was it. Kaidan interrupted Kishi's private thoughts trying his best to console her and help her deal with the pain she was feeling, ::Kishi, my heart, you know it is not your fault for what happened.:: Kishi remained silent trapped in her own mind. Kaidan tried again, ::Chosen, you did right by riding to town and warning the people. If you would not have run as your father and mother had commanded, you would have been captured, or even killed by the raiders. You know that. You did what was right. You should not be ashamed of that.::

::I am not ashamed of that, I am ashamed because I could not save my brother, and every time I think of those raiders, I'm afraid. I am scared of them, and they are dead now and I should not be afraid now, but I am.:: Kishi hung her head and she felt exhausted by everything. Kaidan sent reassuring vibes in her direction, and tried to make his chosen feel better about herself in the current situation. The others continued their discussion about how to best handle the raiders. Kishi closed her eyes again and muttered a prayer for her brother Zack. She hoped that he was alright where ever he was. She wished that she knew what had befallen her kin.


End file.
